Join us to celebrate International Women's Day (IWD) with this inspiring fundraiser* event for women of all backgrounds & ages. The IWD theme this year is gender equality, so we will be exploring this across a range of conversations inc. Climate Action, Fairtrade and Workplaces.

#GenerationEquality #EachforEqual #IWD2020

Expect a fun and interactive event with inspirational speakers, stimulating group discussions, delicious food, also with opportunities for dancing, networking & to learn some new sustainability skills for 2020.

We will be joined by some exceptional women who are all working to make our city and communities more equal. They will tell us about their solutions and will also host conversation tables so you can find out more and be part of stimulating discussions too. They include;

Natalie Fee, an award-winning environmentalist, author, speaker and founder of City to Sea, a UK-based organisation running campaigns to stop plastic pollution at source. She has also recently published - an already - best selling book, 'How to Save the World for Free.'

*All proceeds from this event will go to Catalyse Change CIC to help them empower & skill girls & young women as change makers. The money will be used to provide free bursaries for young women from less advantaged backgrounds onto their 2020 Catalyst Bootcamp & Mentoring programme. www.catalysechange.com

Jaya Chakrabarti MBE, a digital activist with a passion for using open data and technology for good. As the CEO of the award-winning tiscreport.org she is focusing on tackling corruption and modern slavery in supply chains. Jaya was named one of the top 100 Corporate Influencers in Modern Slavery 2018, and a top 100 Woman in Social Enterprise in 2019. Jaya serves on the DCMS Digital Economy Business Advisory Group and Home Office Transparency in Supply Chains Modern Slavery Strategy & Implementation Group.

Donna Thomas who co-leads the Resonance South West social investment tax relief (SITR) Fund and works with social enterprises and investors to ensure the Fund reaches its targets and helps social enterprises to receive investment. For ten years Donna has been a business mentor for the Princes’ Trust in Bristol, helping young people start up and manage their own businesses.

Iona Martin , a tax adviser by day, with a passion for improving diversity in the financial services industry. Iona is a member of the Bristol Women in Business Charter task group which recognises and supports the work of Bristol businesses to create workplaces that are gender equal. Over 30 Bristol-based companies have now signed the Charter, thereby committing to making real progress on gender equality. Iona heads KPMG’s gender equality network in the South and serves as a judge for the annual South West Mentoring Awards.

We are delighted that Mya-Rose Craig - who attended our Catalyst Bootcamp and Mentoring programme last year - will also be able to join us. Mya-Rose, a teenage bird-watcher from Bristol, has just received an honorary doctorate from the University of Bristol for her work in science and nature and for making the nature sector more diverse. Mya-Rose's work includes addressing racial inequalities in conservation and running nature camps for young people from BAME communities.

Expect lots of fun too!

Grace Ekall will join us to inject some energy and fun into the proceedings. She has been delighting the young women at Catalyse Change's events with her dance and wellness workshops and they specifically requested that she come along to do the same at this one.

Grace who is a food entrepreneur and wellness coach here in Bristol has had an extraordinary journey from Cameroon where she was born. One in which she has been a professional dancer, a model, fashion designer, Cameroonian pop singer and even founded her own dance company by the age of 18. Grace has also beaten breast cancer twice which has led her to focus on her own health and wellness and how she can inspire and teach others to do the same. Read more here about inspiring story http://bit.ly/GraceBlog19

The delicious local plant-based lunch will be provided by Coexist Community Kitchen. They are a non-profit cookery school whose main aim is to use food as a vehicle to work with people who experience social marginalisation in our society. They mainly run cookery classes as well as running events, catering and hiring out our space in order to support their social outreach work.

Their main passion is - everyone should be able to have spaces in which they can share food together, learn and teach skills and create strong connections with others. Eating. Laughing, learning and sharing. They see food as the most simple and easy way to support each other in building a stronger, healthier and more joyful society. https://www.coexistuk.org/

Ruth Davey, is a photographer, author and activist will be joining us to record the day and to provide mindfulness and resilience reflection and tools. Through her business Look Again, she brings together her love of photography, with 25+ years experience of working in international, community and business development. Using photography, nature, walking and mindfulness - to help people slow down, take notice, and see their life, work and world with fresh eyes - to help people improve their mindset, mental health and wellbeing. www.look-again.org

What will you get from attending?

You’ll come away with inspiration, energy, new insights about your own situation as well as strategies and tactics for designing your own change.

You will have the opportunity to meet and network with other like-minded women working in sustainability.

A lively atmosphere, with great energy and interesting conversations with a wide cross section of women from different sectors, backgrounds and ages who have similar passions about sustainability.

You will also be supporting young women from less advantaged backgrounds to attend Catalyse Change's 2020 Catalyst Bootcamp and mentoring programme, so thank you! http://bit.ly/CBMentoring2020

Please share this event with your friends, colleagues and social networks, thank you!

Come to @triodosuk on 4th March & celebrate #women from all backgrounds and ages who are working for positive social and environmental change!  http://bit.ly/IWDWINSCC2020   #IWD2020 #GenerationEquality #EachforEqual

@SustWomen @CatalyseCh @nataliefee @jayacg @WIBCharter @Resonanceltd @GraceEkall1 @CoexistFood @BlackSWNet @LookAgainPhotos @BirdGirlUK @BristolYS4C