Inspiring Older Women

Saturday 26th September; 1-2pm.

Venue: YORK FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE, FRIARGATE, YORK

INSPIRING OLDER WOMEN invites women and men to consider and celebrate an older woman who has made a difference to their life. You will also have the opportunity to make a poster or write a few words about that woman to take home for yourself, or as a gift to your inspirational woman if appropriate.

We are a group of staff and student aged 50plus from the Centre for Women's Studies (CWS), University of York. As part of 25-year anniversary celebrations for CWS we came together and realized just how many ‘older women’ had influenced us, and yet how few representations there are of such women. This session will be part talk, part discussion, and part workshop. .

The session is free and everyone is welcome. To guarentee a place email Ann Kaloski on cws-25@york.ac.uk, or just turn up on the day.

OUTLINE OF SESSION

* Welcome.

* Short talk about the role of different sorts of memory we all use when thinking of our lives

* Informal discussion in small groups about the older women who have inspired us. We suggest that the older women are 'real' (no fictional characters) and that you offer at least a few words about their influence on your life. It is nice if you name the women and bring a photo, but if your older role models are from your circle of friends and family (and not famous) and would prefer to be anonymous, or if you haven’t time to find a photo, then this is also fine.

* If you wish, you may then make a small poster, or write a few words about ‘your’ woman. We will supply paper, glue, card and pencils. You may add your images and words to a ‘wall’ of inspirational women, or take home your work – or do both. The session is very informal.

* Finally, we will share any thoughts from our discussion.

If the group wishes, we will copy all the thoughts and images from the Inspirational Women Wall, and put them online to continue to inspire us all.

If you have made a poster or written some personal words, this is yours to take home for yourself or, if appropriate, to give to your inspiring older woman as a wonderful gift.

LINKS: Friends Meeting House   York Older People's Assembly   Bridging the Gap   York 50+ Festival

Inspiring Older Women is organised by six CWS women aged over 50 who work as lecturers, librarians and students: Sue Cumberpatch, Sue Grace, Joan Baker, Carol-Ann Hooper, Joanna de Groot, Ann Kaloski. In Autumn each year York is home to the local 50+ Festival. This is organised by local people in conjunction with the York Older People’s Assembly.