The annual Women’s Lunch honored grassroots groups in the region who bring life-changing support to North East women.
More than 175 women gathered to hear inspiring storiesnof change at County Durham Community Foundation’s Autumn lunch.
Locardia Chidanyika from Women Today, Fiona Taylor andnEmma Zenaj from Building Bloxs and Linda Kirk and Debra Rogan from Just fornWomen all shared the impact of their projects at the Suffragette-themed event
Chief executive, Michelle Cooper, said: “It isngenuinely humbling to hear from these incredible women, who make such a differencento our communities.
“We were privileged to award £3.1million in grantsnlast year, but people are often surprised to know that the average grantnawarded is less than £5,000. “I think that is testament to the immense power ofnthese groups, who can achieve so much with a relatively small amount of money.nIt’s been wonderful to celebrate their hard work.”
More than £2,500 was raised on the day at the event, which was sponsored by Handelsbanken and Taylor Packaging.
Michelle added: “Although this is not positioned as anfundraising event, we use the valuable funds raised to support our charity’snwork and our grant programmes like the Community Action Fund, which gives backnto these tremendously effective grassroots groups.”
Building Blox, in Stockton, was founded by Emma Zenajnand Fiona Taylor to support mums with children who have additional needs.
Emma said: “We were really inspired and empowered bynwhat everyone else is doing. So many groups are going above and beyond out ofnsheer passion and purpose.
“We started off wanting to do workshops and coursesnand offer a chance to self-educate. Very quickly we realized that the parentsncoming to us were isolated, had poor mental health and alarmingly, had nonself-care whatsoever. “They were doing everything for their children, andnnothing for themselves. Our job is to help them see that they need to looknafter themselves too, so that they can become mummies again, and not justncarers.
“One mum came to us and she’d been let down by a lotnof people. We had the time to work with her and build that trust and now Indon’t recognize her. She has friends here, and she is even able to supportnthem. There’s so much positivity with what we do and it really isnlife-changing.”
The Cheesy Waffles project, who are also supported bynthe Foundation, led the lunch with a rousing Votes for Women march aroundnWynyard Hall, wearing historic suffragette costume.
Caroline Theobald CBE, managing director of the Bridge Club, hosted the lunch, including a Dragon’s Den-style interview with groups supported through the Foundation such as St Johns Hall, Beamish Museum and TCR the Hub.
View photos from the lunch here
