International Women’s Day 2013

Published by Peter Bird for New Charter Housing Trust Group in Housing and also in Communities

Every year International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated throughout the world on 8^th March. This year to help mark the occasion Oldham-based Aksa Homes hosted an event at the Honeywell Centre, Hadfield Street, Oldham.

Fully funded by Aksa, this key celebratory event for the region gave women of all cultures the opportunity to meet and share experiences. The main objective of the event for the women attending was for them to share their achievements, aspirations and any obstacles they have had to overcome to reach their goals.

Georgia Parker the Chair of Aksa Homes says: “We provide homes for a diversity of residents and we felt it was important that we hosted this event which brought together women from a cross range of cultures and backgrounds.

Georgia adds: The support of companies for events such as this is critical and we relished the opportunity of getting different cultures to join together and celebrate womanhood, whilst building relationships.

There were 3 speakers invited to address the guests. Liz Lancashire of Owl Marketing, who was able to give valuable information to those women with businesses on how to market and promote themselves, Julie Crowley of Clear Mind, a career coach and personal counsellor who focused on how people can manage their careers and Selina Ullah, senior adviser to Joseph Rowntree Foundation, discussed how the role of arts, culture, heritage and sport can help to bring communities together and create civic pride. Georgia Parker, herself a noted leadership and motivational coach chaired the sessions.

All of this was interspersed with an assortment of entertainment which included a fashion show presented by Manchester based Saha Couture featuring elegant Asian outfits, Bollywood dancing by two sisters who are fused in dance and call themselves Sonaash plus pampering sessions provided by students from Oldham College.