Festival of Women

Keynotes

The Truth About the Motherhood Penalty and How to Fix It

Wealth Theme

Joeli Brearley

In this powerful and personal talk, Joeli will share her own experience of pregnancy discrimination, unpack why the motherhood penalty remains so entrenched, and explain, with clarity and urgency, what is required to fix it. Not just for women, but for the productivity, culture, and success of entire organisations and economies.

Violence, Safety and Justice for Women

Safety Theme

Harriet Johnson

Drawing on her extensive experience in the criminal courts, Harriet will explore how the justice system responds to violence againce women and girls and what that experience truly looks like for the women living it every single day.

Grounded in real cases, real women and real consequences, this is a keynote that will challenge you, move you and leave you thinking differently about the world women navigate every day.

Hear My Voice

Health, Wealth & Safety Theme

Siobhann Collingwood

Siobhan Collingwood, CEO at Lancashire Women since 2025, is the driving force behind Festival of Women.  A powerful advocate for equity in public services, Siobhan is a former Headteacher of over 20 years who has gone onto hold key roles within the region including as Education Lead at Lancashire Violence Reduction Network. 

In this keynote session Siobhan talks about how her passion for empowering women and championing the voices of those with lived experience led to today, and the development of Lancashire Women’s groundbreaking report: Hear My Voice. 

The report, sponsored by the Community Foundation for Lancashire & Merseyside and developed in collaboration with Lancaster University reflects the lived experience of women living in Lancashire, centered around the 3 critical themes of Health, Wealth and Safety. Join us to set the foundations that will underpin an inspirational day! 

Breakout Sessions

Understanding Economic Need Among Women in Lancashire: The Impact of the Cost of Living Crisis

Wealth Theme

Tracy Hopkins

In this session, Tracy will explore how the cost of living crisis continues to affect women across Lancashire. Drawing on data and real-life client stories to examine rising debt, housing pressures and financial vulnerability, and considering how organisations can work together to build financial resilience within our communities.

Leading the Way: Women, Allies and Workplace Equality

Wealth Theme

Rosie Whittaker, Coral Horn, Lee Chambers, Hayley Dickinson & Gill Gardner

Despite significant progress, women remain underrepresented in many leadership roles and industries. This panel brings together influential leaders and advocates to explore how we can create more equitable workplaces, challenge gender stereotypes and open doors for future generations of women. Through candid discussion and personal experiences, speakers will share insights on breaking through barriers, leading with impact, championing inclusion and driving progress across business, industry and entrepreneurship. Together, they’ll explore the role that both women and allies can play in accelerating gender equality and ensuring talent, ambition and potential are not limited by gender.

Supporting Women at Work: What Needs to Change?

Wealth Theme

Simon Brierley, Kerry Scruton, Micky Marsden & Reta Rose

From menopause action plans and flexible working to tackling harassment and improving workplace culture, expectations of employers are evolving rapidly. Coupled with forthcoming employment law changes, businesses face both new responsibilities and new opportunities to create workplaces where women can thrive.

Bringing together leaders from across business and industry, this panel will explore the practical steps organisations can take to better support women throughout their careers. Speakers will discuss the challenges still facing women in the workplace, share examples of positive change, and consider what the future of inclusive and supportive workplaces should look like.

Using Women’s Voices to Shape the Economy

Wealth Theme

Erin Mansell & Emma Thackray

What would our economy look like if women’s experiences and priorities played a greater role in shaping it? 

In this interactive session, Erin and Emma from the Women’s Budget Group will share research and insight into the barriers affecting women’s economic security. Together, participants will explore how we can break the cycle of an inequitable economic model in Lancashire and beyond.  

What Do Women Want? Building a Health and Care System that Works for Women

Health Theme

Andy Knox MBE & Siobhan Collingwood

In this participative and inclusive session, Andy will co-host a conversation with Siobhan Collingwood, CEO of Lancashire Women, exploring how we can better shape health services for the future and improve outcomes for women.

Hormones & the Female Brain

Health Theme

Dr Helen Wall

From brain fog and anxiety to changing mood, focus and sleep, how do hormones influence the way we think and feel? GP, menopause specialist and author Dr Helen Wall explores the connections between hormones and the female brain, particularly during perimenopause and menopause. With insights from her work supporting women, including those with ADHD, Helen explains why these changes can feel so significant and shares practical ways to better understand your brain and get the support you need.

Hormones, Health and Ageing Well: What Every Woman Needs to Know

Health Theme

Dr Ewa Craven

Hormonal changes from puberty onwards have a profound, yet often underestimated, impact on women’s health and ageing. In the UK, women are living longer but spending more years in poor health, with women in the most deprived areas experiencing over 20 fewer years of good health than those in the least deprived communities. 

In this session, Dr Craven explores how understanding hormonal health earlier – and ensuring everyone has access to reliable information regardless of background – can help women live healthier for longer. 

Isolation, Health and Women Over 50

Health Theme

Teri Stephenson

Isolation can have a profound impact on our health and wellbeing – yet it is often hidden, particularly for women over 50. In this interactive workshop, Teri Stephenson, Chief Executive of Age UK Lancashire, will explore the realities of isolation through statistics, real-life customer stories and practical insights from frontline services.

Together, we’ll consider the unique challenges women face, the impact on both physical and mental health, and the opportunities for services and communities to respond more effectively. This session is designed to be collaborative, creating space for shared experiences, discussion and the development of ideas, solutions and actions can make a real difference.

Let’s Talk: Mental Health & Neurodiversity

Health Theme

Debbie Haworth & Sharon Isherwood

Join Debbie Haworth and Sharon Isherwood, mental health practitioners with a wealth of experience, for a frank and accessible workshop on mental health and neurodiversity.

Blending professional and lived experience, they will challenge assumptions, share practical insights and explore how we can help neurodivergent people feel understood, included and supported. Participants will leave with fresh perspectives, practical ways to offer better support, answers to questions people often avoid and ideas for building more inclusive communities.

Can Women Ever Feel Safe? Exploring the Causes of Safety, Fear and Freedom. 

Safety Theme

Anna Hopkins

Women’s safety is often discussed in terms of crime prevention, yet women frequently modify their behaviour in response to perceived risks, social norms, environmental conditions and previous experiences. This workshop examines the causal factors that shape women’s experiences of safety, asking three fundamental questions: safety for whom, produced by what mechanisms, and for what purpose? 

Fawziyah’s Legacy: Turning Tragedy into Action Against Honour-Based Abuse

Safety Theme

Yasmin Javed

In this powerful and reflective session, Yasmin Javed shares the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of her daughter Fawziyah, whose story gained national attention through the Channel 4 documentary The Push.

Drawing on the lessons from Fawziyah’s case, Yasmin will highlight the campaign to strengthen and amend the law in her daughter’s memory, whilst raising awareness of coercive control and the often-overlooked issue of honour-based abuse. The session will explore how individuals, professionals and communities can better protect women through increased awareness, early intervention and collective action – and the role every one of use can play in preventing similar tragedies.

Breaking Cycles of Harm: The Contribution of the Female Justice Partnership to the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls

Safety Theme

Sarah Norcross, Anna Javed and Claire Ashworth

Breaking cycles of harm requires us to look beyond the immediate offence and understand the experiences that often sit behind women’s involvement in the criminal justice systme.

Domestic abuse, trauma, exploitation, homelessness, poor mental health and substance use do not exist in isolation. Neither can our response.

The Lancashire Female Justice Partnership brings organisations and women with lived experience together to build a more coordinated, trauma-informed and gender-responsive system. Through this work, we aim to intervene earlier, strengthen pathways, reduce barriers and prevent women from becoming trapped in repeated cycles of crisis, harm and criminal justice involvement.

EmilyTest: A Gender-Based Violence Charter for Colleges and Universites

Safety Theme

Fiona Drouet

In this powerful and thought-provoking session, Fiona Drouet MBE will share the devastating story of her daughter Emily and the sustained abuse by a fellow student that led to her suicide. 

Fiona will explore the creation and impact of EmilyTest, outlining how the charity is working with colleges and universities across the UK to prevent gender-based violence and improve support for students. 

 The session will highlight the development of the Gender-Based Violence Charter and the role institutions, professionals and communities can play in driving change. Delegates will gain insight into how they can contribute to this growing national effort focused on prevention, intervention and support. 

What’s Next for Women in Lancashire? Turning Conversations Into Change.

Health, Wealth & Safety Theme

Siobhan Collingwood, Clive Grunshaw, Dr Helen Wall, Gill Gardner & Chris Webb MP

We’ve spent the day listening, questioning and exploring what needs to change for women across health, wealth and safety. But where do we go from here? How can women’s voices influence the decisions that affect their lives? 

Join our closing panel as they bring together the day’s conversations and look ahead to what comes next. Our experts will explore what needs to happen differently and, importantly, the actions and commitments that can turn conversation into meaningful change. The conversation will then open to the audience for a final Q&A. 

Because today isn’t just about starting conversations. It’s about what happens next.