WAND (Woman’s Action Network Dorset) is proud to bring you their fifth Dorset Women’s week following on from the success of the last four years.
This year it runs from 2-9 March. There are events and activities being held during the week either specifically for women or celebrating women as well as special offers, all with the aim of empowering women.
The week culminates in their fourteenth Dorset Women’s Day on (9 March 2019) which is being held from 10am-3.30pm at the Dorford Centre in Dorchester, DT1 1RR.
Dorset Women’s Week and Dorset Women’s Day celebrate International Woman’s Day (on 8 March).
Our theme this year, in line with International Women’s Day is #BalanceforBetter. The theme is all about striving to build a more gender-balanced world:
“The race is on for the gender-balanced boardroom, a gender-balanced government, gender-balanced media coverage, a gender-balance of employees, more gender balance in wealth, gender-balanced sports coverage… gender balance is essential for economies and communities to thrive” – International Women’s Day Campaign
WAND’s patron, Tracey West, author, broadcaster and activist says:
“I run an environmental charity and over the past 12 months, I’ve become acutely aware that the issues that frequently bite women here in the UK, do the same to women in Africa: period poverty, social isolation, depression, oppression, domestic violence and more. By uniting to share our joys, passions, creative abilities, coping mechanisms and woes, I know we can build supportive frameworks within our communities, that give us better tools to cope with the challenges we’re frequently faced with.
Please use this wonderful opportunity to come together with others to put some positive energy in the pot and take some inspirational energy out too!”
Activities taking place as part of Dorset Women’s Week include a range of talks, workshops, and film screenings, as well as a play about the iconic dancer Isadora Duncan in Wimborne. During the week, there are networking opportunities and conferences for women in business, including the launch of the Successful Women Awards. There’s also the chance to relax through yoga classes, ladies-only swim sessions, and a wellness walk in West Bay.
Dorset Women’s Day, which is free to attend, offers a variety of treats including live music, refreshments, and 24 different workshops and talks where you can try things as diverse as creating sketch books, belly dancing, herbalism, burlesque and cross-stitch. You can even learn how to make bags out of recycled materials! There’s also a talk on the 50:50 campaign to get more women into government, perfectly in line with this year’s #BalanceForBetter theme.
Plus Minette Walters, English crime writer, published in over 35 countries, and winner of multiple awards, will be taking part in a very lively and interesting Q&A session.
The workshops start at 10.45am – to register you need to arrive promptly from 10am to confirm your place. As well as the activities there will be nearly 30 stalls selling a range of delightful items and sharing information.
The full programme of activities taking place throughout the week, and on the day, can be found in various locations throughout Dorset including at libraries, at the Dorchester Tourist Information Centre, at the Dorchester Town Council office and at Waterstones in Dorchester – who will be supporting the event with a specially dedicated window display.
Or you can go online to view it – and to find out more about WAND, by visiting our webpage: www.wandwomen.org.uk
The event has been sponsored by Dorchester Town Council, West Dorset District Council and the Dorchester Car Boot Fund.
