Page 25 - BPW-UK ANNUAL REVIEW 2022-2023
P. 25

As the  2022 BPW UK AGM took place in June, it is from there I can recount the activities in the
         area.
                                 The annual ‘Reclaim the Night, Nottingham’ march took place at the end
                                 of October. It is now 45 years since the first one in Leeds when women
                                 voiced their need for safe streets. Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Not-
                                 tingham East,  is a regular attender and then stands up in the House of
                                 Commons to raise awareness at Government level. As ever, I donned the
                                 ‘day glo’ jacket and joined the marshalling team on behalf of BPW. 400
                                 women and some men made a lot of noise, which brought many cheers
                                 from those out for the evening and supportive toots from buses and cars.
                                 Helen Ashworth, Nora Gleave and myself then met in Manchester to try
                                 out a post-COVID lock down Carluccios, before booking a table for an area
                                 face to face get- together in November. Both were very enjoyable.

         December was a social month. The BPW Wednesday talk got members from all areas together to
         start the festive season with a fun quiz and online games.  A few days  later the area  ‘party’
         looked at craft  beer and snacks ideas for its Christmas social event. All the buffet ingredients
         came from local sources in the East Midlands, while the cocktail pairings were bought in the
         North West region.





         2023 starts with organizing the area AGM, so our members can enjoy the opportunity to meet up
         and discuss activities for the year.
         Our area has a team which meets and supports the work of the UN Sustainable Development
         Goal 13 on Climate Action, within the BPW Europe Green and Sustainable Group. Helen and I at-
         tended the  2022 Earth Day event in April, by ZOOM, and learnt much from the musical contribu-
         tions, pledges of young school girls and those spreading the word to companies, colleges and or-
         ganisations.
         Helen Ashworth had asked BPW UK members what swaps they had made in support of their local
         area and beyond and received lots of simple alternatives such as a laundry egg for the washing
         machine,  visiting  local  ‘zero  waste’  shops  to  refill  containers  with  dried  goods  and  creating
         ‘green areas’ to re-wild spaces for bees, insects and other wildlife. Meetings continue for the
         International Earth Day on 22 April 2023.
         I have booked to attend the BPW UK National conference in Northern Ireland in March where
         members will benefit from the national, European and International perspectives. I may see you
         there! ▪





         Ros Horsley
         BPW UK North West and Midlands President






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