We're joining other Fire and Rescue Services to celebrate International Women's Day 2023, running events throughout the week from 6-12 March.
International Women's Day itself is on 8 March.
We will update this page with events as they become available.
These events are for all staff, cadets and volunteers at fire and rescue services.
We are adding updates and videos as they become available.
Monday, 6 March
10:00-11:00 Bridging the neurodiversity gender bias gap
Hosted by Heidi Smith on behalf of Kent Fire and Rescue Service
Join Heidi Smith to listen to her journey of being a ‘late’ diagnosed woman with ADHD at 29 years old, and the impact of being neurodiverse in the workplace.
She will explore:
- Raising awareness about neurodiversity
- Bridging the gap in knowledge between diagnosis of neurodiversity and gender bias.
- Promoting equality and acceptance in the workplace
- Highlight challenges and benefits of neurodiverse thinking and ways of working
- Best practice ways to support neurodiverse peers
Tuesday, 7 March
10:00 - 11:00 Menopause Basics Masterclass with Joanne Crovini
Hosted by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service.
Often you arrive at menopause already depleted from the 24/7 100 mile an hour lifestyle you’ve been living for years. For many the onset of menopause can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. This session covers how women arrive at menopause depleted, why you feel as you do and the small steps you can take to help yourself feel better.
15:30 - 17:00 Virtual Yoga with Unwind Yoga Studio
Hosted by Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Services in collaboration with Unwind Yoga Studio.
Yoga can calm an anxious mind, whether due to peri-menopause, menopause, a challenging job, or anything else going on in your life.
Juliette, a Yoga Instructor from Unwind Yoga Studio, will lead this gentle yoga session for all ages, fitness levels, and body sizes. Everyone can benefit from this practice, whether a seasoned yogi or a complete beginner.
There is no expectation that you will be super bendy and able to stick your foot behind your head - no need for any of that! And being able to touch your toes is not a pre-requisite either!
The online session will be a full range of movements of your body, incorporating breath and affirmations.
Wednesday 8 March
11:00 to 12:00 Menopause Café
Hosted by the Fire Fighters Charity and West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.
We are excited to be linking up with the Fire Fighters Charity to deliver a Menopause Cafe. This is a drop in session for people to gather (online), drink tea/coffee and discuss menopause. The café is open to everyone including partners of FRS employees.
14:00-15:30 Exploring Zero Tolerance
Thursday 9 March
10:00 - 11:30 How to find your brave
Hosted by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service.
Sponsored by 3SFire CIC
It just so happens that the modern world is very good at knocking your self-esteem and confidence. HOW TO FIND YOUR BRAVE gives you a leg up. It re-acquaints you with your swagger. Y’know - the one you had when you were tiny… before it got buried underneath layer upon layer of other people’s opinions and self-made fear.
The starting point is self-esteem. It’s magical stuff that, quite simply, determines how your life unfolds. If you’ve got it in high doses, you feel good about who you are. You know, deep down, that you are valued and worthy.
Confidence flows, meaning you’re more likely to step outside your comfort zone and try new things. That’s good for your employer, your colleagues and your family. In other words, self-esteem comes first, and confidence follows. In fact, from high self-esteem, everything follows!
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14:00 - 14:30 Menopause awareness in 20 minutes with Joanne Crovini
Hosted by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service.
Did you know that:
• One in three working women are either going through or have already been through menopause?
• 63% of women in a Unison survey said their symptoms had been the subject of jokes at work?
• 99% of women in a survey of 3800 felt menopause symptoms had negatively affected their career?
• 59% of women have taken time off work because of menopause symptoms?
With the right knowledge and support you can retain valued staff and benefit from their expertise and experience. And the first stage in supporting women is knowledge and awareness. This 20-minute session is perfect for companywide or team meetings and is a great way to start the ball rolling. Both male and female staff can learn about menopause in a comfortable way without judgement or embarrassment.
10 March 2023
0930-1030 Dany Cotton, my story
Hosted by Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Join in with Dany Cotton, retired Commissioner of London Fire Brigade talking about her career in the Fire Service, her goals, achievements, and how she inspires others.
1100-1200 Understanding Domestic abuse
Hosted by Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service
Join Jill Betterton to hear her story. "Having suffered a domestically abusive marriage and seeing the harm it caused me and my children, I decided to study for my level 2 qualification in 'Understanding Domestic Abuse', so I can help, support and advise others in such situations."
1300 - 1400 Stand Up Against Harassment
As part of our IWD23 programme, we are delighted to confirm that the Suzy Lamplugh Trust are able to deliver bystander training on Friday 10th March at 1pm.
Following a growing national conversation around what the public can do to increase women’s safety, people and organisations wanted to take steps to be able to address the prevalence of unwanted and aggressive behaviours such as harassment that underly the broader cycle of violence against women and girls.
To accommodate public demand, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust formed a partnership with L’Oréal Paris to bring the expert approved international "Stand Up Against Street Harassment" training programme to UK audiences. The programme is an hour long, free of charge as it is sponsored by L’Oréal Paris, driving awareness of harassment, as well as upskilling and empowering bystanders across various settings such as public transport, educational institutions, festivals, public spaces, and workplaces, to help defuse situations, discourage harassers, and support victims. As this is a global program L’Oréal are rolling out, 800,000 people have been trained worldwide to date: https://youtu.be/yhNXNay-txk
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