International Women’s Day 2023: Who are Birmingham’s most inspiring women?

International Womens Day offers us an opportunity to celebrate the great women who help to shape our world. Countless women from Birmingham and the West Midlands have made significant contributions across various fields - so I’m here to ask Brummies which women inspire them the most.

It’s not the most straightforward question, as Birmingham has been the home of many great women - from the likes of Dame Julie Walters, Alison Hammond and Denise Lewis to name a few.

Women who have made waves in the world, inspiring generations ahead of them. Opportunities for women have come on leaps and bounds over the years - but what challenges still exist uniquely for women getting ahead in todays world? I also posed this question to the people I met in Birmingham City Centre

Nic says: “​​So for me, I think a really inspirational lady from Birmingham is Marcia Lewison. So she’s the CEO of a charity called WAITs. So - Women Acting In Today’s Society. I’ve been working with her through the companies that I work with, but essentially, she worked so incredibly hard to support women who have suffered domestic abuse and a variety of other horrible things.

“And she’s so passionate, so dedicated, and I just think she absolutely embodies, you know, what women are all about and using her time and energy to support other women. I think she’s brilliant.”

Nicole says: “I think there’s a few really. I suppose the one that immediately springs to mind is probably Alison Hammond, because she’s become so familiar to people across the country. And she’s a good down to earth Brummie. So I think she just does us proud as a city.”

Chris says: “Beverly Knight. She’s fabulous. I just think she’s an amazing singer. She’s got a good personality. She’s proud of where she comes from. And what’s not to like.”

Nic adds: “I think it really is still a challenge for women to work, to have a home life, to have a social life - to fit it all in. You know, I’m very lucky that my husband is - you know - we’re very equal at home.

“But there’s still lots of things that traditionally fall to women to try and fit in and when you’ve got a job as well to do it can be really hard to juggle everything and feel like you’re not failing in some way. “