Fashion, friendship, fearless performances and a community united at Cloud 23
High above Manchester, something very special happened. The She Inspires community came together at Cloud 23 for an afternoon filled with colour, laughter, conversation and purpose, all in support of Empower 50K Girls.
It was glamorous. It was joyful. It was powerful.
There was a beautiful fashion show, a fabulously fearless Chair Burlesque performance by Sammy Jo Htekseh and Annemarie Hlavacova, gorgeous displays from our exhibitors, a wonderful afternoon tea and a charity raffle that became a performance in its own right.
But the real magic was in the people.
Throughout the afternoon, women were seen, heard and celebrated. New introductions were made, stories were shared and conversations became connections. People discovered common ground, explored ideas and began imagining what they might create together.
Everyone enjoyed a fabulous afternoon while supporting 50,000 dreams.
One Award. Fifty Thousand Dreams.
At the heart of the afternoon was the incredible Sue France. Sue won the Women in Networking and Events Award at the She Inspires Awards in 2023. For Sue, receiving an award was never the end of the story. She took that recognition and turned it into action. With her warmth, experience and remarkable instinct for bringing people together, Sue created an afternoon that was beautifully organised, wonderfully personal and filled with meaning.
There was even some of Sue’s brilliant impromptu poetry. With humour, warmth and perfect timing, she threaded together the names, personalities and stories of people in the room. Her words created connections, opened conversations and made people feel that they were part of the occasion rather than simply attending it.
Sue did not simply host an event. She noticed people, brought them into the conversation and created a space where generosity, visibility, friendship and opportunity could all exist together. This is what happens when recognition becomes responsibility and influence becomes impact.
A beautiful showcase of women in business
Our exhibitors brought another layer of colour, creativity and enterprise to the afternoon. Guests had the opportunity to discover the beautiful jewellery from Smita Mistry of La Pearle, explore Tropic Skincare with Hannah Croskery, enjoy the gorgeous creations from Wendy Ludlum Woods of Mereside Candles, discover products from Neal’s Yard, and browse fashion from Anna Barker of Flair Boutique.
These were not simply exhibition tables around a room. They were opportunities for women to present what they do, share the stories behind their businesses and connect directly with new people. That is an important part of She Inspires. We want women to be visible. We want their work to be discovered. We want conversations to lead to customers, collaborations and genuine opportunities. Our exhibitors added sparkle to the afternoon while reminding us of the creativity, talent and determination that exist within our community.
Bringing people together around every table
Our four table sponsors, Sarah Stephens, Carol Hickson, Susie Sprigg and Andrea Atkin, played an important part in bringing the afternoon together. Their support helped create spaces where guests could relax, meet someone new, exchange stories and become part of the wider Empower 50K Girls journey. A table is never simply a table at a She Inspires event. It is where introductions are made, friendships begin, experiences are shared and ideas start taking shape. Their support helped create a room filled not only with guests, but with possibility.
A raffle that became a performance
At a She Inspires Afternoon Tea, even the raffle has its own personality. Helen Wilson ran the charity raffle with such confidence, humour and aplomb that it became a performance in itself. Supported brilliantly by Estelle Mehar, Helen brought energy and excitement to every prize while keeping the purpose of the fundraising firmly at its heart. Together, they made giving feel joyful. The anticipation grew, the room joined in and every raffle ticket became another contribution towards taking Empower 50K Girls into more schools. It was a wonderful reminder that fundraising does not have to feel formal or distant. It can be full of laughter, warmth and shared purpose.
The woman capturing the memories
While the afternoon unfolded, Gillian Walsh was once again behind the camera, generously volunteering her time and professional skills to capture its spirit. For the second year running, Gillian has supported Empower 50K Girls in this very special way. She is so often the person ensuring that everyone else is seen, while rarely stepping in front of the camera herself. Her photographs will preserve far more than the programme of the day. They will capture the laughter, friendships, performances, quiet conversations and spontaneous moments that show what community truly looks like. Volunteers such as Gillian remind us that generosity takes many forms. Sometimes it is a donation. Sometimes it is time, talent or simply choosing to show up and help.
Every contribution moves the journey forward.
Celebrating our Empower 50K Champions
The afternoon also gave us the opportunity to recognise and thank our Empower 50K Champions. These are the people who have contributed their time, skills, resources, connections and belief to help the initiative reach more girls and more schools. Presenting their certificates was an important moment. So much community impact is created quietly, behind the scenes, by people who help without expecting recognition in return. We wanted our Champions to be seen. We wanted them to be heard. Most importantly, we wanted them to know that their contribution matters.
Reaching 50,000 girls will never be the work of one person or one organisation. It will take a community of people who understand that when we invest in a girl’s health, confidence, knowledge and future, the impact travels far beyond that one moment.
Year Three and ten more schools
This is the third year of Empower 50K Girls, our ambitious commitment to reach 50,000 girls across 100 schools. This year, we have already completed programmes in ten schools in India. We met girls with different lives, circumstances and ambitions, but the same extraordinary potential. We created space for conversations about health, wellbeing, money, confidence, choices and future opportunities. Each girl received an Empower bag containing practical personal care items and learning resources. Yet the bag itself is only the starting point.
The deeper purpose is to help every girl understand that she matters. Her health matters. Her voice matters. Her financial future matters. Her dreams matter. We want girls to have the knowledge to make informed choices, the confidence to speak for themselves and the belief that their circumstances do not have to determine the size of their ambitions.
Because She Matters
Year Three of Empower 50K Girls is dedicated to the memory of Katy Holmes. Katy died in January 2012, aged just ten, following a diagnosis of an inoperable brain stem tumour. Her mother, Paula Slater, has continued Katy’s legacy through the Katy Holmes Trust and initially sponsored two schools in her daughter’s memory. This year, Katy’s photograph and story are included in every Empower bag. Her story now travels into classrooms and communities, carrying a powerful message of love, courage and legacy. Katy’s life was heartbreakingly short, but the impact of her story continues to grow.
Because she mattered. Because every girl matters.
This is what community looks like
The Cloud 23 Afternoon Tea brought every part of the Empower 50K Girls journey together. There was celebration and purpose. Fashion and fundraising. Entertainment and enterprise. Familiar faces and new introductions. Women showcasing their work, Champions being recognised and conversations continuing long after the programme had finished. People came to enjoy themselves, but they also came ready to support, connect and contribute.
That is the beauty of community. It allows us to create joy while doing something meaningful. It gives people the chance to be seen and heard while helping others find their own voice. It turns individual acts of generosity into collective impact.
We are still calculating the final amount raised and look forward to sharing it soon. But the success of the afternoon could already be felt throughout the room.
It was in every new connection, every shared idea, every business discovered, every offer of support and every Champion recognised. It was in every person who left knowing they had helped us move one step closer to 50,000 girls and 50,000 dreams.
To Sue France, Gillian Walsh, Helen Wilson, Estelle Mehar, Sarah Stephens, Carol Hickson, Susie Sprigg, Andrea Atkin, Smita Mistry, Hannah Croskery, Wendy Ludlum Woods, Anna Barker, Sammy Jo Htekseh and Annemarie Hlavacova, and to all our Empower 50K Champions, exhibitors, performers, models, volunteers, guests and supporters, thank you.
You brought the sparkle. You brought the energy. You brought the community.
Together, we are supporting 50,000 dreams, one girl and one school at a time.
