*GATHERING POSTPONED*

Due to the current restrictions in place to limit the spread of covid-19 this gathering has been postponed. Refunds have been processed for all ticket holders. Stay at home and stay safe.    

After a year’s break, our next gathering is happening on Saturday 28^th March 2020 in London. Doors open at 10.30 and we start at 11am, running through to 4pm. We have a fantastic mix of Community, Knowledge, Celebration and Justice, and would love you to be part of it. Book here so we’re know you’re coming along.

The day will be framed as an opportunity for reflection on and equipping in sustainable leadership and activism. Women of all backgrounds involved or interested in leadership of any sort are very welcome to come along. Please do invite others!

In the Knowledge slot we’re delighted to be joined by Seyi Akiwowo, Founder and Executive Director of Glitch, a young not-for-profit organisation determined to end online abuse through advocacy, campaigning and education. Seyi has spoken at the United Nations and in 2019 was shortlisted as a Digital Leader of the Year Finalist and in 2018 named both Stylist Magazine’s Woman of the Week and Amnesty International’s Human Rights Defender. She is a graduate of the Jo Cox Women in Leadership Programme and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and a Fellow of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. Growing up in one of the poorest boroughs in London, she became involved in politics in various ways to make a positive difference in her community and in 2014 was elected as the youngest black female Councillor in East London at age 23 and served for four years. Seyi will be leading a session on practical self care.

In the Justice slot Kate Monkhouse will be talking about how we can connect our spirituality and solidarity as women to sustain our work for justice and peace, in terms of personal prayer and mutual accompaniment. Kate is currently the Executive Director of Creators of Peace global women’s programme. She has over 20 years’ experience working with faith-based and community organisations in civic engagement and social inclusion. Kate links her training in conflict transformation with her formation in Ignatian spirituality. She is an RSA Fellow, helps run Two23 and lives at St Saviour’s Priory in the East End of London.

We’ll be Celebrating Bernice Hardie. Bernice is Co-Founder of Wave (We’re All Valued Equally), a grass-roots community organisation that works to enable places where people with and without learning disabilities can comfortably mix together socially. Having a daughter with Downs Syndrome who struggled to find places of genuine inclusion as she progressed into adulthood prompted her desire to change community behaviour and attitudes around learning disability. Working with others over the past ten years to develop Wave has been a roller-coaster ride that has tested and refined Bernice’s faith and attitude toward leadership, which she says she previously avoided at all costs! Bernice recently completed the first large-scale community based research project undertaken in the UK around what hinders and helps genuine inclusion. She has appeared on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour talking about her experience as a “reluctant pioneer”.

The Community session will be hosted by Belinda Norrington, who will be talking about a Christian approach to mindfulness, and leading a personal practise to close the day. Belinda is Lead for pastoral and well-being development at Zeo Church in Hitchin. She is fascinated by the human capacity for flourishing (as individuals and in communities) and the factors which mitigate for and against, and has worked for several grassroots NGOs in the fields of migrant labour, addiction and homelessness. For several years she has been exploring the intersection between Christian faith and emotional well-being, particularly the practices of mindfulness, contemplative prayer and discovering their value for human flourishing and deepening of faith and compassion.

You can BOOK HERE  to join us. We’ll be at St Clements Eastcheap, close to Bank Station, and Monument Station, just around the corner from House of Fraser. Arrive from 10.30 for an 11am start, and we’ll be ending at 4pm (at which point a spontaneous coffee / pub social outing usually occurs). Lunch is provided. Please let us know about any dietary or access needs.

We’ll be tweeting throughout the day using #GWLMar20 so do follow along there if you can’t join us in person. We’re on Twitter here, and Facebook here if you want general updates.