What Matters to Women in Blackpool
By Kruti Walsh, FiLiA trustee and volunteer
Last Friday, other volunteers from FiLiA and I were in Blackpool, getting to know women from the town and surrounding areas and speaking with them about the important issues in their real, day-to-day lives.
It was clear that the priority issues for women and girls in and around Blackpool include poverty, inadequate housing, drug and alcohol addiction, gambling addiction, mental health, domestic abuse, exploitation, harassment and misogyny.
We heard from a range of women, including one campaigning against state failures after her daughter suffered ‘honour’-based abuse and was murdered; one who had gone through addiction and is now working in a charity focused on supporting people through multiple and complex disadvantages; a 19-year-old who had just found feminism; a feminist councillor who faced significant misogyny during her election campaign; a woman who had set up a community interest company to fight child sexual exploitation; women struggling to make ends meet; and women who wanted to give back to the women's movement – including by signing up to volunteer with FiLiA!
It was a privilege to speak with these women, who were open and generous with their time. Many weren't aware of FiLiA or the extent of our work. As we described our approach to ensuring that our conference delivers for women living and working where the conference takes place – by building the conference with local women, working with them on ideas for topics and speakers, and spending months in the town ahead of the conference – we were met with warmth and gratitude. It was energising and humbling to speak with women who had not been aware of FiLiA but who, on learning about us and the conference, were thrilled to have found us and excited to attend the conference!
FiLiA2027 is going to be a much-needed space for hundreds of women to gather, be with and centre women. We will share experiences, ideas and campaigns with one another – including the priority topics mentioned above and with contributions from women who have never spoken on a stage before. It will be a place where there may be differing viewpoints, but where we will be able to discuss and disagree respectfully. We'll be able to let our hair down from some of the heaviness of the conference at the women-only disco (my favourite part!). And, as in previous years, we will leave the conference inspired by and grateful to the many wonderful women who gift their time and expertise to make the FiLiA conference what it is.
If you're interested in being part of FiLiA2027, please email info@filia.org.uk. Get your tickets to FiLiA2027 here: www.filia.org.uk/tickets
Our thanks to Lancashire Women for organising the Festival of Women – we had a great time and got a lot from the conference!