International Women’s Day 2021
Choose to Challenge. Choose to Celebrate.
At Gateway Women’s Centre, we love to celebrate International Women’s Day. Over the past few years, we have marked the occasion in a number of ways – a craft stall, quizzes and games, handmade goodies and special cakes! This year, although we can’t be together, we still made sure we celebrated.
We sent gifts to the women who use Gateway. Our supporters and volunteers donated time, skills, gifts and money, and we made up gift bags full of treats with the aim of reminding the women that they are unique, special and loved.
Our gifts arrived from a variety of places, including the Braemore Residents Group, Tesco and Whitehawk Foodbank. Pippa Newton-John and Lucy Dawe of Lawton and Dawe and Property Fusion also gave generous donations, enabling us to post out the gifts. A whole team of talented volunteers and supporters sewed the gift bags, while another volunteer packaged up chocolate gifts.
At Gateway, we celebrate the achievements of the women we know every day of the year, and especially on International Women’s Day! The theme this year is Choose to Challenge and so we affirmed the achievements of women through the art gallery below, which also raises awareness of gender inequality.
We also partnered with Coop Local in Hove and Portslade with a creative competition in which women could design, draw, paint, crochet, knit, write, photograph iconic women or convey some of their experience during lockdown. The resulting art will be eligible for a Coop hamper from in-store as a prize.
Brighton women’s business network and support group Found and Flourish ran a series of online events on the 8th with a voluntary admission charge for attendance to support the Gateway Centre.
At Gateway Women’s Centre, we believe strongly in challenging gender bias and inequality, and celebrating the strengths of the amazing women we work with. Visit the International Women’s Day website to see see the national picture.
We have had lots of lovely feedback from women about their International Women’s Day gift bags. Many said they were really touched, uplifted by it in this difficult times, and some said it brought them to tears.
One recipient of the gift bag sent us the following thank you:
“I would like to thank Gateway for the lovely goodie bag. A timely reminder of the accomplishments of woman including those that have been at the forefront of vaccine development now and in the past!
It was extra special for me as have really been feeling the strain of lockdowns on my mental health lately and it was lovely to feel the care and support from all of you. Made me well up!”
The women who use our services contributed some beautiful art.
Welcome to our creativity gallery to celebrate International Women’s Day!
International Women’s Day is a celebration of the achievements of women, as well as a chance to raise awareness about gender inequality. Here you can see photos of some of the amazing artwork of some of the women who use Gateway, as well as some collaborative pieces we’ve made together at Gateway.
This is our way of celebrating and show-casing the creativity and skills of the incredible Gateway women! Enjoy.
