Empowering Women Together in Magherafelt

The venue was filled to capacity with women from all over the district eager to experience the same enjoyable evening the first event in Dungannon had delivered and it certainly did not disappoint.

Style Queen Cathy Martin, creator of Belfast Fashion Week and Managing Director of CMPR, took to the stage to offer much sought after fashion advice and to tell a bit about her hectic life in the fashion industry, notably Belfast Fashion Week.

Other speakers on the night included, Helen Heron, local textile artist, Michelle O’Neill, MLA, Tracy Sharkey from South West College’s MISS STEM Project and of course the Chair and Deputy Chair of Mid Ulster District Council. The evening was again humorously compered by the Hub BT80’s Carol Doey.

The first event, which took place at the beginning of the month at Ranfurly House, Dungannon set the bar incredibly high with many who attended actually requesting to come along to the second event and with speakers including Cool FM’s Rebecca McKinney and Emma Pengelly MLA, it’s not surprising.

Both events were born out of a desire from both the Chair and Deputy Chair to hold a women’s event in the area that would celebrate, support and highlight the contribution of women in society.

Speaking after the Bridewell event, the Chair, Councillor Linda Dillon, said: “These Empowering Women Together events have proven more successful than we ever could have expected or wished for! It was fantastic to see so many faces from the first event at Ranfurly House present at the second event at the Bridewell and this just emphasises how enjoyable and beneficial the women found it.

“I hope everyone who attended the events got as much out of them as I did and has a new list of connections as a result. We have fantastic capable women in our area and I’m just delighted that myself and the Deputy Chair were able to provide them with this platform to come together and support one another. Thank you to everyone who attended and made the nights the huge successes they were.

I am glad that all of those who attended enjoyed it and that I thoroughly hope that this is only the first step in council establishing a forum where women can come together for the benefit of themselves and this district.”

The Deputy Chair, Councillor Kim Ashton, added: “I was delighted to jointly host the empowering women events. Both events were hugely successful with the whole community represented. The feedback from everyone who attended has been extraordinary.”

“The events offered women in the district the opportunity to motivate each other, a task definitely made much easier thanks to the exceptional speakers over the two evenings. I would like to thank everyone who helped organise the events, the speakers, and all the women who attended.”