INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Friday was International Women’s Day and I was delighted to attend an event, with Kenneth Gibson MSP to celebrate this, organised by North Ayrshire Women's Aid in Saltcoats.

It was extremely well attended, with a whole range of activities as well as a minutes silence in memory of all the women who have died as a result of abuse at the hands of their partners.

It was great to catch up with North Ayrshire Provost, Cllr Anthea Dickson and Cllr Margaret Johnson and Rhona Hotchkiss, Board Member, as well as the indomitable Mary Beglan, Chief Officer (not pictured)

It was particularly poignant to see the memorial tree, a tribute to those women who lost their lives as a result of domestic abuse.

Some estimates show that up to 168 women every year are killed in the UK by a current or former partner. On International Women’s Day, it was right that we remember these women as well as celebrating all that women have achieved. Yet there is clearly still more to do.