International Women's Day 2022: Breaking the Bias

International Women's Day is here and to celebrate we are taking a look at some of the wonderful projects GoodGym supports, and the impact they have made. 72% of GoodGym members identify as female, a stat which we have always been immensely proud of. In a society in which women are less active, and typically face multiple barriers to participation in sport, GoodGym strives to be a welcoming place for women to come together to get fit and do good.

No (period) drama here

A stand out session for GoodGym Oxford was around reducing the stigma over period products. The task included running to collected Red Box Project donations, and adding to the stash with their own donations, then delivering the box back to the Oxford Hub. While it's hard to believe that period poverty is still something some women have to contend with, this task made a big difference as donations were shared between Oxford schools where students will have gratefully received the free period products.

(Girls) Running the world

I have a beautiful family, a very good set of friends, as a person I feel lucky enough to meet people who respect each other and everyone regardless of what background we belong to. Respect, care and trust is an achievement to have and spread.

GoodGym Slough has a great partnership with Dash Charity, an organisation that supports people experiencing Domestic Abuse in the communities of East Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire. One session included working together with local women's running groups to create pamper packs for the women in refuge. The women also joined forces to make their own empowering statement cards, showing what they feel is their greatest achievement, with everything from learning to respect the women in their life, to being the best wife, mum, auntie and friend. The collaboration was both empowering and inspiring for those taking part, and impactful for the charity it supported. One woman taking part in the session asked about her greatest achievement said "I have a beautiful family, a very good set of friends, as a person I feel lucky enough to meet people who respect each other and everyone regardless of what background we belong to. Respect, care and trust is an achievement to have and spread."

Mum's the word

The Magpie Project supports mums and children under five who find themselves in temporary accommodation in Newham. GoodGymer Bethan organised a community mission gathering donations of Mother's Day cards for women accessing the project to show how loved they are. Donations from GoodGym areas came from far and wide, and stacks of hand made cards were added to the stash given to the Magpie Project. There are some great photos of the variety of donations received here.

Sew far, sew good

GoodGym area activators dream of multi-task collaborations, and one given to GoodGym Newcastle allowed a great partnership to thrive between the group and local charity East End Women. The project exists to support women in the east and central areas of Newcastle by offering courses to upskill and support them with opportunities in the workplace, as well as activities that support women's wellbeing and access to their foodbank. GoodGym Newcastle offered regular support to East End Women throughout the lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 with foodbank takeovers at least once a week. It's an ongoing relationship that they are proud to have.

A stand-out visit with East End women was to support their Sew Sisters project just upstairs to the foodbank, where the group transformed an area of the building into a large workshop now filled with sewing machine stations and wellbeing hangouts where women can come together to learn new skills. You can see some of what GoodGym Newcastle did to help here.

How are you honouring the amazing women in your life for International Women's Day? Why not get a female friend of family member involved with GoodGym and bring them along to a session in your area? We'd love to meet them.

"Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias". - International Women's Day 2022 website

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