Introducing our Inspirational Trustees! #IWD2021

As a part of our celebrations for International Women’s Day 2021, we will be celebrating our trustees and finding out which women are inspirational to them! #IWD2021

Please find links and introductions to our inspiring trustees here and our chair here.

If you would like more information on becoming a trustee then please do get in touch at trustees@centralwomensaid.org

Our first featured introduction is from our longest standing trustee and treasurer!

My name is Mandy and I work at Nottingham City Council, my roles have varied throughout my time there but they have all been linked to the community and voluntary sector. My background is Community Development and I have a strong passion for supporting grassroots voluntary sector organisation’s for all the amazing work they do and the commitment they give. In the past I have worked with many women’s organisation’s, particularly new and emerging groups to address the issues affecting them. My current role is managing the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme and newly arrived asylum seekers.

I joined NCWA 2011 when it was re-establishing following closure. It is a cause which fits in with my personal beliefs that no woman or child should suffer from abuse. One of the things that never ceases to amaze me are the courage and bravery of the women who come into refuge to begin to change their situations, in the most cases they are in fear of losing their life and deeply concerned about the safety of their children. I am often reminded by others that we save so many live’s each year.

My inspirational women; well the first woman must be my mum, my forever queen, she taught me all my values in life and made me the woman I am and the second is my daughter whom I am so proud to have nurtured into a beautiful women and mum to my grandson. I am also fortunate to have met so many strong feminist friends who also never cease to amaze me around all the positive work they do in relation to women. In history we have so many inspirational women; the suffragettes who sacrificed their lives for equality, Rosa Parks who refused to give up her bus seat to a white person, Mother Teresa who inspired others, aiding those that needed it most and Anne Frank who’s story touched many.

Finally Aretha Franklin, the “Queen of Soul” who was exposed at an early age to adult behaviours and still went on to receive many Grammy awards with ‘Respect’ becoming an anthem for the racial and gendered political movements in 1967. More recently we had Malala Yousafzai who was shot because she spoke up about the rights of girls to be educated in Pakistan.

I could go on as there are so many courageous women I admire but I will stop here as every woman is special in their own way….