“Tell us about a woman who inspires you…”

 

This was the question posed to LWC staff this week to mark International Women’s Day on March 8^th. The answers varied wildly from high-profile sportspeople to parents.

 

International Women’s Day was marked for the first time in 1911, with more than a million people attending rallies in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. Three years later, a women’s suffrage march was held in London, during which suffragette, Sylvia Pankhurst was arrested on her way to address those gathered. In 1975, the United Nations marked IWD for the first time, latterly inviting member states to mark any day of the year as a ‘Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace’.

 

IWD is now a global day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. This year’s theme is ‘Accelerate Action’, with a renewed push for achieving gender equality. Data from the World Economic Forum suggests that at the current rate of progress, it would take until 2158 to achieve full gender parity both personally and professionally. To put that into perspective, this suggests that not even the youngest of LWC students here today would get to see it.

 

We’ve been taking a closer look at some of the women who have inspired the LWC community and asked why…..

   

Adam Williams, Headmaster:

 

“ There are many women who inspire me, but most recently, it’s Iona Stephen. She is a former professional golfer, who had to retire from the game at an early age due to an injury which prevented her from continuing with her golfing career. She’s since forged a new path as a golf commentator and is just brilliant at it. I learn a lot from her presenting style. She brings the game to life and broadens the appeal of golf to many, notably girls.”

   

Holly Hunter-Wright, Houseparent & Teacher of Art:

 

“For me, it’s Phoebe Cole, an Executive Director at JP Morgan, mother of daughters and my best friend of 24 years. It’s often easy to look to celebrities or well-known people for inspiration; their accolades are undeniable. But I believe we must curate the groups of people we surround ourselves with. To surround yourself with women who inspire you, lift you, celebrate and cheer for you, means you can create momentum. Pheebs is a lifelong friend who has seen me all the way from 4^th form to the present day. She’s seen every side of my character, much as a sister would. She is savvy, fiercely loyal, thoughtful and incredibly generous. But she’s also an astute leader, a can-do thinker and all whilst juggling multi-million pound clients with her joyfully energetic children.”

   

Jonathan Lilley – Head of History:

 

“Bit of a cliche from a History teacher, but I am teaching a module on Elizabeth I for the first time at the moment.  She was fantastic and had it all.  She was brutal when she needed to be, compassionate at other times. One of my pupils said that she thought I loved Elizabeth. That would be weird, but maybe I do a bit.  Elizabeth I was great.”

   

Poppy Lake – Assistant Director of Sport and Head of Girls’ Sport:

 

“Jessica Ennis-Hill is an incredibly inspiring figure for many reasons. As a world-class athlete and Olympic gold medallist in the heptathlon, she embodies resilience, hard work, and perseverance. She’s the epitome of what it means to be dedicated to a sport. Her training, commitment and focus on constant improvement throughout her career are inspiring to anyone pursuing their dreams, especially in the face of setbacks such as breaking her ankle and having to change take-off legs. She has been a role model for women in sport, showing that it’s possible to achieve excellence whilst balancing family life, motherhood and a professional career. Despite her achievements, she has always remained humble and grounded. She’s shown that true strength isn’t just physical; it’s mental and emotional as well.

   

Chris Radmann, Head of English:

 

“For me, it’s my mother. After three back operations and 40 years of chronic pain, she remained cheerful and totally interested in others, whom she would always put first. Her strength and endurance were admirable.”

   

Natalie Bastiman, Teacher of Mathematics:

 

“One of the women who has inspired me most, is my former Head of Sixth Form, Emma Alderson. She is an exceptional teacher and pastoral lead, who genuinely loves her work. She was one of the influencing factors in me wanting to not only become a teacher, but to become a good teacher, who lives in hope of one day having the impact that Emma had on me.”