INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day is there to recognise the lack of equality that women experience across the globe.

The first International Women’s Day event was held in 1911 with Australia celebrating the event first in 1928.

The day is one which celebrates women’s achievements, raises awareness about women’s equality, lobby for accelerated gender parity and fundraise for female focused charities.

The North Arm Cove International Women’s Day fundraiser was a very successful event once again, raising over $2000 for women disadvantaged because of poverty, domestic violence and limited education opportunities.

Jan Peeters told News Of The Area, “This is the 23rd year this fundraiser has been held at North Arm Cove and over the last 22 years has donated $75000 to International Women Australia, an amazing effort for such a small community.”

The International Women’s Day theme for 2021 is #CHOOSETOCHALLENGE.

“So let’s choose to challenge,” she said.

Due to COVID-19 the numbers were restricted for this years event and tickets sold out very quickly.

Among the guests was a long-time supporter of this event, Kate Washington Member for Port Stephens, who is passionate about equality for women.

Participants enjoyed a stylish High Tea while listening to two speakers, Ronelle McKay and Anne Turpin, before a fantastic raffle concluded events for the day.

The raffle prizes were in paper bags decorated by Tim Henman, a young man with autism and Downs Syndrome with a passion for drawing.

Ronelle spoke about her 25 years playing tennis with a large group of ladies and the lessons she learned from that experience which included resilience, determination and compassion as the ladies formed lasting friendships and shared their stories of life and the women bonded and supported each other.

Anne shared her life story which included the admiration she had for her father who had old fashioned values and the utmost respect for women.

Anne also says she inherited a sense of outrage at social injustice from her father and no doubt this is why Anne became involved in many charitable activities and a passion for teaching children and improving the life of disadvantaged children through education.

“Everyone enjoyed the day and we hope to do it again next year with no COVID and a full house,” she said.

 

By Marian SAMPSON