A fashion show shining a spotlight on the strength and beauty of the women and girls in Cornwall who are excelling in their fields is taking place for International Women’s Day, hosted by the Cornwall Women’s Fund.
Sustainable fashion entrepreneur Uzma Bozai will showcase her designs as part of the celebration in Truro which includes an impressive line-up of speakers – all successful women from the South West.
Along with Uzma, speakers include BBC Springwatch presenter Gillian Burke, Vick Bain, founder of the F list (directory of female musicians) and fierce champion of equality in music and Genevieve Flintham, international marketing director and novelist.
All four powerhouses have chosen to support the Cornwall Women’s Fund (CWF) event on Saturday 8 March at The Heseltine Gallery, Truro School, from 11am to 2pm, celebrating the global day of recognition of female achievements and also five years since CWF began.
The theme for this year’s Internation Women’s Day is ‘accelerate action’. This event also shines a light on creativity, with “The Year of Creativity” being Truro Schools theme for this academic year, this is an excellent showcase of local creative women from different industries and this event offers the opportunity for pupils, parents and members of the community to be inspired.
Amanda Stratford, a founding member of the Cornwall Women’s Fund, said: “As a giving circle we work together as a collective to give our time, skills and money to improve the lives, inspire hope and nurture the ambitions of women and girls living in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
“We are so grateful to our speakers for their support, to Truro School for giving us the opportunity to use their wonderful Heseltine Gallery, and to everyone who has so far booked a ticket to come along.”
Cornwall Women’s Foundation has raised over £65,000 and distributed 22 grants to projects and organisations across Cornwall and the Isles Scilly , including Cornwall Music Service Trust which offers music workshops for new mothers and babies in Camborne and Truro.
Vick, Uzma, Gillian and Genevieve will share the secret to their successes and the challenges, and also inspire their audience to make the next step.
Uzma said her advice to other women chasing their dreams is first and foremost “be gentle on yourself.”
“Society puts enough pressures on women, we don’t need to add more onto ourselves. As an ambitious woman you’ll be used to going it alone and creating opportunities for yourself but I’ve learnt that I can achieve more and feel more fulfilled when surrounded by other strong, accomplished women. We’re stronger together.”
It is because of this reason that she was delighted to be asked to host the IWD fashion show.
She said: “Through each look, we hope to highlight the strength and beauty of the girls and women of Cornwall, excelling in their fields, breaking down barriers for future generations and inspiring us all to be bolder and braver.”
Fellow speaker Vick Bain said: “I believe in collective action and change happens when we support each other, share opportunities , and push against the systems that hold us back.”
Some of the projects and organisations CWF has supported will also be sharing their motivational stories and showcasing their work.
Genevieve, who started at the bottom of the marketing industry ladder, said: “As someone who comes from the South West, I’ve always been passionate about ensuring that girls and women can succeed in an industry which hasn’t always been equal, and where it’s not always clear on how to get started. I hope to help show others from the South West that we are no longer in a world where London is King, the playing field has equalled, and it’s time to grasp the opportunities.”
Tickets for this event are free and can be booked HERE
