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Founders Journal

Founder’s Reflection: What Happens After the Nominations Close

Founder’s Reflection: What Happens After the Nominations Close

Nominations for the She Inspires Awards 2026 closed on 31st March, and as always, we ask for a couple of weeks before nominee notifications go out. It’s a question I know people sometimes wonder about, why does it take that long? The truth is, this is the part that isn’t seen. Because what comes in is not just a clean list of names and details. It is layered, human, imperfect, and at times, quite fascinating. When you begin to go through thousands of nominations, you start to notice patterns. One of the most striking ones is when a single individual is…
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Conversations that Matter: International Women’s Day at Marks & Spencer

Conversations that Matter: International Women’s Day at Marks & Spencer

International Women’s Day often brings with it a sense of celebration — a moment to recognise the progress women have made across sectors and societies. But beyond the headlines and hashtags, its real power lies in the conversations it creates. Earlier this month, I had the privilege of speaking at the London headquarters of Marks & Spencer as part of their International Women’s Day programme. The event brought together a panel of women recognised through the Daily Mail Inspirational Women Awards, each representing different causes and journeys but united by a shared commitment to making a difference. It was an…
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Founder’s Reflection | February – The Quiet Before the Rise

Founder’s Reflection | February – The Quiet Before the Rise

February has always felt like a held breath, not the celebratory inhale of January resolutions, nor the confetti-coloured crescendo of March, but a quieter, more introspective space that sits in between, suspended, watching, preparing. The world may speak of love in February, roses, heart-shaped boxes, carefully curated gestures, and there is beauty in that. But for me, more so this year, February has been a month of fierce preparation. A month of deliberate thought. A month of building something that feels aligned rather than reactive. At the turn of every new year, when globally recognised publications release their most powerful, most influential,…
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Founder’s Reflection | Stories That Change Us

Founder’s Reflection | Stories That Change Us

I have always been drawn to stories — not just films or series, but storytelling in its fullest sense. The kind that pulls you in quietly, the way a good book does, and stays with you long after the cover is closed or the screen fades to black. I watch widely, across genres and cultures, but what fascinates me most is not only what we see — it’s how every story begins. Every film starts with the smallest spark.One idea. One question. One moment of truth that refuses to let go. From that spark, a world is built. Characters are…
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Founder’s Journal | December: The Descent

Founder’s Journal | December: The Descent

December, for me, is always the descent. If November is the climb — steep, relentless, exhilarating — then December is the careful walk back down the mountain. The view changes. The air softens. The noise fades. And for the first time in months, the pressure lifts. After our global celebration of women in November — the gala, the stories, the energy, the emotion — the first week of December felt… strange. The only way I can describe it is this: I felt like a deflated balloon. Not in a sad way. Just suddenly light. Empty of urgency. There were no…
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Founder’s Reflection — November 2025

Founder’s Reflection — November 2025

November always arrives like a storm — familiar yet unpredictable — and every year, I tell myself that perhaps this time it will be smoother. But She Inspires has its own rhythm, its own heartbeat. And this year, as always, the Gala Night came wrapped in that familiar blend of beauty, chaos, and last-minute miracles. People see the glamour, the sparkle, the stage dressed in light. What they rarely see is what breathes underneath: the rush of emails, the name changes that arrive when everything has already been sent to the venue, the sudden dietary requests that come with them,…
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Founder’s Reflection – October // The Warm Glow Before the Storm

Founder’s Reflection – October // The Warm Glow Before the Storm

October has always been one of my favourite months in the She Inspires calendar. It is the month when the world begins to soften — the light turns golden, the air gentles, and everything feels as though it is preparing for a moment of significance. For us, October is the quiet heartbeat before the great crescendo of November. It is when our community begins to gather — not just in logistics or nominations, but in spirit. This year, our pre-awards gathering felt especially meaningful.A room filled with women who had walked long roads, carried heavy stories, and earned every moment of recognition…
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Founder’s Reflections – September

Founder’s Reflections – September

September is here, and autumn has arrived in all its quiet beauty. I always find this season symbolic – a time of change, of gathering, of turning the page. For me, it’s also a time to pause and reflect on what we’ve built together. This month has been nothing short of extraordinary. We launched the Taste of Bolton Recipe Book – a project that feels so close to my heart. It’s more than recipes; it’s about belonging, heritage, and pride. To see celebrity chefs alongside our community voices, and to do this in partnership with We Are Bolton, reminded me once again of…
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The Monkey and the Guava Tree

The Monkey and the Guava Tree

Reflections by Gulnaz Brennan Just outside my home in India, in the small neighbourhood park, stands a guava tree. It isn’t marked, fenced, or named. But no one else had claimed it. So I did. It’s mine now—not in title, but in feeling. It stands tall, generous, fruit-laden. I’ve always been drawn to trees like this, carrying the weight of ripeness so uncomplainingly, as if giving is just part of their being. I don’t know why it still fills me with wonder—that fruit grows quietly on branches, needing no permission, no applause. That vegetables and fruit are just… there. Free.…
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Living with the Lizard

Living with the Lizard

A reflection by Gulnaz Brennan There is no official name for it—actually, scratch that. There is. It’s called herpetophobia: an intense fear of reptiles and amphibians, including snakes, frogs, and yes, lizards. And if herpetophobia had a poster child, it might very well be me. As a child growing up in the heat-soaked heart of a South Asian summer, I learned early on that the season brought not only mangoes, melons, and sweet leachies—but also the dreadful return of the household lizard. While others celebrated the arrival of fruit-laden branches and bowls of chilled watermelon, I would scan every ceiling like a soldier…
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