Join our Rebel Women’s Choir

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Our Rebel Women’s Choir returns for autumn and new / shy singers are very welcome – it’s fun, uplifting, boosts wellbeing and confidence all in a supportive sisterhood  

This autumn we have 6 choir sessions lined up, plus optional performances. All women are very welcome to attend the inclusive friendly sessions led by Jo Lewis, at Derby Women’s Centre on Leopold Street, 11:30am -1:30pm (times may vary on performance days)
Dates for your diary:
Sat 28th Sept
Sat 5th Oct
Sat 26th Oct
SUN 3rd Nov – rehearsal & optional performance at IWD Clothes Swap at the Polish Centre. Times TBC
Sat 16th Nov – rehearsal & optional performance at IWD fundraiser event. Times TBC
Sat 23rd Nov

Donations appreciated; free if you need it to be.

Our choir is brilliant for girls 7yrs+ to attend with a responsible adult too. They will learn liberating songs by and about trailblazing women, past and present, from around the world. Rebel Women's Choir

More dates will also be planned for the new year as the choir gets ready to perform at our flagship annual International Women’s Day Festival celebration in March 2020

Thanks for celebrating IWD with us!

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Wow! Let the history books record that on Saturday 9th March 2019 Derby brought many diverse local communities together to celebrate International Women’s Day with a buzzing huge marquee of performers, stalls and family fun on the Arboretum followed by a march through the city carrying HERoes from HERstory placards and an after party with She Speaks UK sharing a showcase of female and non-binary artists’ powerful poetry and performance and a female DJ to end the night with a Reclaim the Dancefloor disco.

Were you there? We really need your feedback – here’s a link to a quick e-survey: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/IWDD2019

Your feedback helps us to secure funding, sponsorship and to keep making this volunteer-run festival happen each year – thank you!

Enjoy photos from our vibrant celebrations on our social media pages @WomensDayDerby on facebook and twitter

 

Derby ready to celebrate #IWD2019

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This Saturday 9th March 2019 Derby celebrates International Women’s Day with a vibrant FREE festival for the community, all organised by volunteers.

Celebrations, performances, inspiring workshops, stalls, a Human Library, inspiring women in male dominated fields like engineers and fire fighters, food stalls and family fun can be enjoyed from 12pm-4pm at the Arboretum Park, Rose Hill Street, Derby under a huge marquee –  see location map and bus routes below; street parking is available nearby but can get busy and Grove Street car park is close by. There will be a free creche from Orchard Garden Private Day Nursery you can contact them to book your little ones in for some fun time whilst you have some ‘me time’ by calling 01332 370497 or you can pop by on the day at the event, the creche will be in the building by the tennis/basketball courts; creche places subject to availability. There will also be plenty of family fun for kids to enjoy including a playbus, fire engine, crafts, nature activities, dance-alongs and a sensory bus too.

At 4pm there is a Women’s Rights March from the Arboretum into town and then onto our after party from 5pm-11pm at Derby West Indian Community Association on Trinity Street. Click here for more info

how to get to derby arboretum by bus

 

 

Help Derby feel amazing for International Women’s Day 2019

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Our volunteers have worked hard fundraising and planning all year to give Derby another uplifting IWD Festival – can you chip in to help us make more people feel great?

Support our Crowdfunder here

Derby has a HERstory of celebrating International Women’s Day going back over 100 years to the Suffragettes in our city. Volunteers work hard to deliver this annual heritage event to benefit the community and we need your support to keep the tradition alive!

This annual community festival makes a real difference in Derby. Visitors report benefits to their health and wellbeing, confidence, sense of empowerment and liberation; the event has inspired women and girls into new hobbies, sports, careers and activism, connected people with vital local support groups and charities as well as reducing loneliness by bringing communities together, celebrating diversity and broadening horizons. This year’s festival takes place on Saturday 9th March 12pm-4pm at Derby Arboretum followed by a women’s rights march into the city centre and onwards to an after-party from 5pm-11pm at Derby West Indian Community Centre with a mini ‘night market’ and She Speaks UK hosting powerful poetry and performances.

Can you make a pledge to help us make more people feel like this? 

“Inspiring and motivational”
“This event had a brilliant effect on my mental health – I left feeling happier and more energetic than I had in a long time. It brought to my awareness just how many creative, inspiring, supportive women there are in my area and it was important for us all to come together to build our community”

“A fantastic event – smiling faces and food for the heart, mind and soul”

“I felt uplifted by the day. It was an incredible celebration and reminder of the women who fought for the rights we enjoy today. I feel inspired to do more to support campaigns for women and girls worldwide”

“This event was SO important in not only celebrating inspiring women, but to highlight how important it is to make a noise about issues women are STILL facing”

“Buzzing, diverse, important”
“My daughter who is 3 found the confidence to sing on the stage by herself. I want her to keep hold of that confidence by celebrating women’s achievements”
“I used to look up to pop stars but now I think my mum is actually really inspiring”
“It inspired my daughters about their careers, choices and gave them a chance to see what other women of the world experience”
“It was great to see the variety of info and activities available, especially the boxing and football where female participation is not really covered as much in the media as their male counterparts. I come every year and always go away feeling positive about the future, but also aware of the ongoing challenges that women and girls face”

“This event helped me to kick-start a project, painting female heroes and role models”

“Absolutely amazing for all genders and ages!”

“Relaxing, bright, cheerful”

“Fantastic atmosphere!”

Half-Term Placards & Pom Poms

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Join us to make placards celebrating world-changing women like Rosa Parks, Jayaben Desai, Wangari Maathai, bell hooks, Frida Kahlo and pom poms in Suffragette colours – be inspired by their activism – we have FREE family-friendly drop-in sessions on 20th and 23rd February:

iwd spiral arts placard making 2019

Find these events on Facebook: Placards & Pom Poms – Rise Up Sisters Placards & Pom Poms – Rise Up Sisters

Thanks to Rosa UK Woman To Woman Fund and Spiral Arts – Derby

Did you know? The Suffragettes carried names of inspiring women past and present on placards on big processions. We’ll be continuing this tradition at International Women’s Day Derby Festival 2019 – come join our pre-festival drop-in placard-making workshops Placards & Pom Poms – Rise Up Sisters    #WeRiseOnTheShouldersOfGiants #HERstory 

The ‘Famous Women’ Pageant of the Women’s Coronation Procession, London, 17 June 1911. These suffragettes, dressed as notable women from the past, joined in the march and the rally in the Royal Albert Hall. The characters included Jenny Lind, the most celebrated soprano of her day; Grace Darling, a heroine who rescued survivors from a boat wrecked off the Farne Islands; Mrs Somerville, a science writer and advocate of higher education for women and women’s suffrage, after whom Somerville College, Oxford, is named. (Photo by Museum of London/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

Images: The ‘Famous Women’ Pageant of the Women’s Coronation Procession, London, 17 June 1911. These Suffragettes, dressed as notable women from the past and carrying signs with their names, joined in the march and the rally in the Royal Albert Hall. The characters included writer Charlotte Bronte; Jenny Lind, the most celebrated soprano of her day; Grace Darling, a heroine who rescued survivors from a boat wrecked off the Farne Islands; Mrs Somerville, a science writer and advocate of higher education for women and women’s suffrage, after whom Somerville College, Oxford, is named.