Girl Power takes centre stage at Derry’s landmark International Women’s Day event

Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Go Succeed team marked International Women’s Day in spectacular style with Women Leading Change – A Gathering of Collective Power. The event was a resounding success, bringing together inspiring women from across the region to celebrate bold ideas, drive innovation, and create real impact in their communities.

Women from all walks of life came together in The Bishop’s Gate Hotel on Friday 6th March to enjoy interactive workshops, mentorship circles, and collaborative sessions with participants exploring practical strategies to strengthen leadership, elevate their voices, and drive sustainable impact.

Jeananne Craig led the audience through a day filled with connection, celebration, and inspiration, setting the stage for a thought-provoking panel discussion. The panel featured distinguished guest speakers: Maria McKeever, COO of Awaken Hub and Awaken Angels; Caroline Brooke McGuinness, founder of Repair and Share Foyle; and Jade Bradley, founder of Restore Nutrition. Each shared valuable insights on leadership, innovation, and the unique challenges of driving meaningful change within their sectors.

Danielle McNally, Council’s Business Development Manager, described the event as a tremendous success and thanked everyone who participated.

"We are thrilled to have hosted another hugely successful event, one that was not only packed with insightful information, practical advice, and valuable support, but also genuinely fun and inspiring. A special thanks to our incredible facilitators and panellists for sharing their expertise, and to all the participants whose energy, engagement, and collaboration made the day truly memorable. Celebrating International Women’s Day with so many empowered women, all supporting and uplifting one another, was an absolute highlight."

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Some event highlights included a cross-sector panel discussion on the power of collective impact, curated networking sessions designed to spark meaningful relationships as well as a hands-on workshop led by facilitation Caroline Kilbane.

Go Succeed (www.go-succeed.com) is funded by the UK Government and delivered by Northern Ireland's 11 councils. The service supports entrepreneurs, new starts and existing businesses with easy-to-access advice and support including mentoring, master classes, peer networks, access to grant funding and a business plan, at every stage of their growth journey.

Derry City and Strabane District Council have hosted an Empower Her: Rising Together Women Creating Change event in the Bishops Gate Hotel. (Photos: Martin McKeown)

For further information on the support programmes available to set up and grow your business through Derry City and Strabane District Council visit derrystrabane.com/business.