GRAYS-based university education provider, IQUK college, welcomed local leaders, professionals and schoolchildren to its campus on Friday, 6 March for a special International Women's Day celebration.

The lively event explored the theme 'Empowering Women – Leadership, Enterprise & Community Impact.' 

The workshops celebrated the contribution of women across leadership, public service and professional life within Thurrock and the wider Essex region.

Organised in partnership with Thurrock MP Jen Craft and IQUK College, the event brought together trailblazers to inspire young leaders from across Thurrock.

Badar Chaudry, CEO, IQUK College, was keen to support an event that empowers young women to become our future leaders.

He said: "The day was amazing, we heard wonderful stories from local women who have done extraordinary things and their challenges, along with what we can contribute to improve women's lives.

"So, it's been a great day, and we are grateful to Jen Craft, for taking the lead on this."

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Working in the heart of the community, IQUK College invited more than 100 schoolchildren from eight local primary schools to attend the event.

Schools included Aveley Primary, Belmont Castle Primary, Harris Primary, Kenningtons Primary, Shaw Primary, St Thomas of Canterbury Primary, Thameside Primary and Woodside Primary.

Hosting the event Mrs Craft said: "It was a real privilege to bring together so many inspiring women from across Thurrock to celebrate International Women's Day.

"This event was a chance to not only reflect on the incredible achievements of women in our community but also inspire the next generation.

Certificates of appreciate were handed to women who carry out vital roles in the local community by Badar Chaudry, CEO, IQUK College, and Jen Craft MP.

"I hope the young women from our local schools left feeling empowered about what they can achieve."

Schoolchildren heard a moving story from Ashley Wiseman, whose experience as a mother balancing the difficult choice between caring for her premature baby and keeping her job was recently shared in Parliament.

Young people also heard from women at the height of their careers from Trunk Logistics, charity sector and the NHS.

The event was also attended by the secretary to the Pakistan High Commission, Dr Bazgha Syed. 

Adesola Adeniye, 14, a student at The Gateway Academy, enjoyed the event. She said: "The day was very interesting because they had diverse people speaking about different themes of their lives. Something I found they had in common, was the courage, the resilience and the passion to be different, the passion to actually dare to look at a challenge straight in the eye and go for it! That's something I find really inspiring."

Also attending the event was Anna Fuller, a careers advisor from The Gateway Academy.

She said: "It was nice to come here and hear so many inspirational stories from women from so many different walks of life."

IQUK is committed to engaging with young people to encourage aspiration, ambition and confidence among the next generation of women leaders. The International Women's Day is just one event in a series that IQUK is planning to reach into the heart of the community to boost opportunities for all.

To find out more about IQUK, go to www.iquk.ac.uk.