Reclaim the Night goes online

Reclaim the Night virtual event

Women in Rotherham are being invited to join a virtual Reclaim the Night event on 25 November to celebrate women’s empowerment.

Instead of the usual town-centre walk, a line-up of women with links to Rotherham will share experiences of moving into new, exciting spaces – professionally and personally.

Reclaim the Night stands against violence towards women and girls, making our streets and public spaces safer for everyone. This year’s event – which will be hosted online due to the COVID restrictions – is taking the opportunity to explore how women are empowering themselves and each other to move into, and thrive, in spaces they might have once found inaccessible.

The event is led by Cllr Emma Hoddinott, Rotherham Council's Cabinet Member for Waste, Roads and Community Safety, and supported by Rotherham Council.

It will take place from 6-7pm on Wednesday 25 November 2020 and everyone is welcome to join the Zoom event.

Cllr Hoddinott said: “This year has been very different in many ways. We can't be together on the streets of Rotherham for Reclaim the Night 2020, but we can come together online to highlight the issues that women face, both during this pandemic and in more normal times. 

“It’s a great opportunity for women of Rotherham to take an hour out, support each other and listen to some fantastic speakers talk about their journey.”

Rotherham Council’s Chief Executive Sharon Kemp added: “Creating places and spaces where people feel safe and can thrive is a key priority for the Council; we work with partners across the borough to help achieve this in all sorts of ways.

“Reclaim the Night is always a wonderful and empowering event. I hope this online event will let as many people as possible join us Wednesday 25 November.”

Speakers on the night will include:

  • Catherine Asta – a psychotherapist and impassioned champion of women and their stories, who has helped hundreds of women bring back their sparkle. She’s the resident psychotherapist on the award-winning Stephanie Hirst, BBC Radio Leeds and the resident well-being expert at John Lewis Leeds.   
  • Sithule Mguni – a poetry writer, mother of nine and grandmother of five who works as an immigration advisor and children and families’ support worker. Sithule also runs a community group of young people of African background and is currently writing a book.
  • Becky Lancashire – since her school days Rotherham, Becky’s career has spanned local newspapers, national magazines and broadcast journalism. She’s now an ITV journalist based in the Channel Islands.

Councillor Emma Hoddinott, Chief Executive of Rotherham Council Sharon Kemp and Mayor of Rotherham Councillor Jenny Andrews will also be participating in the event.

Published: 17th November 2020