It was ladies only on Friday 6 March as Down District Council held an event to mark International Women’s Day entitled ‘Inspirational Women 2015’ following the success of similar events in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
The event, hosted by the Council’s Elected Member Women’s Champion, Councillor Carmel O’Boyle and supported by the Women in Council’s Working Group, was held in Down Arts Centre, Downpatrick.
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Key note speaker Baroness May Blood (fourth left), at Friday’s Inspirational Women event in Downpatrick with (from left): Cllr Carmel O’Boyle, Margaret Ritchie MP, Josephine Brennan King, Liz Comerton, Chief Inspector Gillian West, Susan Welsh, Cllr Laura Devlin and Yvette Shapiro.[/caption]
Delegates represented the education, business and community/voluntary sectors and six speakers shared their experiences with the delegates: Susan Welsh, Saintfield Community Estates Partnership, Josephine Brennan King, Businesswomen and Choreographer, Gillian West, Chief Inspector, PSNI, Yvette Shapiro, Journalist, Presenter and Producer, Liz Comerton, Consultant and Therapist and Keynote Speaker, Baroness Blood MBE, Labour Member of the House of Lords.
Themes for the event included: Giving back to your Community, Women in the Media : It’s Our Time, The Secret of Life and Many Doors : Many Decisions.
Given her previous role as a school teacher, Councillor O’Boyle was particularly keen to include representation from the education sector and the uptake from local schools and the South Eastern Regional College has been extremely encouraging given the commitment required to the current school and college curriculums.
A ballot was held in support of local breast cancer charity Pretty ‘n’ Pink and Councillor O’Boyle thanked the very many local businesses who generously donated ballot prizes, particularly given the current economic climate.
Speaking at the event, Cllr O’Boyle said: “The event was organised as part of the Women in Council’s Initiative which is designed to achieve meaningful, sustainable change which improves the participation of women in local Councils in senior positions, non-traditional posts and at elected member level thereby creating a local government sector which more accurately reflects the Community it serves.
“Down District Council has endorsed a Declaration of Principles which commits it to the principles of equality and the promotion of a culture in which women feel able to participate in order to utilise their knowledge and experience.
“The Council has also agreed a Gender Action Plan which provides a framework to address any gender under-representation and identify any barriers that may exist.”
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