Broadchurch star talks on barriers

GUEST . . .Actress Julie Hesmondhalgh with Kevin Shaw, Oldham Coliseum Theatre chief executive and artistic director at the International Women's Day event

WOMEN took centre stage as Oldham Coliseum Theatre opened its doors for International Women's Day.

Tenants from Tameside, Oldham and Manchester were invited yesterday for a day of activities and guest talks from award-winning actress Julie Hesmondalgh, best known for her role as Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street and who is currently appearing in Broadchurch.

Chronicle reporter Iram Ramzan also spoke to the women about working at the paper and her route into journalism.

IWD is celebrated every year on March 8. The earliest organised Women's Day observance was held on February 28, 1909, in New York. It was then adopted in 1975 by the United Nations.

The theme for this year's IWD is #BeBoldForChange and it calls on people to take action towards to 'a more gender inclusive world'.

Najma Khalid, founder of the CHAI Project, which meets at Greenhill Academy in Harmony Street, delivered a workshop in which she asked women to talk about who they find inspirational.

Najma said her mother is the most inspirational woman in her life, as she ensured Najma and her sisters got an education - despite opposition from a conservative society.

She also spoke about how her mother stayed by her side when she had to raise her children as a single parent.

She said: "I saw her as a strong woman. My mum was my strength when my marriage broke down. She was fantastic and looked after me. I just don't have the words to explain how inspirational she is."

Actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, who is originally from Accrington, Lancashire, spoke about some of the barriers she faced and still faces in the world of television and theatre due to her working class background.

She said: "There are more roles for men than women and the pay is completely unequal. There are still invisible barriers that still need to be fought. I feel the barriers I have properly felt are more to do with my class and the way I spoke. I think there's a spectrum of privilege.

"International Women's Day is very important to me - I identify very strongly as a feminist. I'm bringing up two young women, who are 12 and 15, I see first hand the real pressures on them.

"As women we're often reluctant to celebrate our successes. We're quick to do ourselves down. This is one day we can stand up and say I have achieved this against the odds."

The New Charter Homes and Aksa Homes residents also took part in henna workshops and were given a tour of the theatre and its wardrobe department.

The housing associations have developed a partnership with Oldham Coliseum Theatre and run regular projects with tenants to help them build their confidence, employability and health and wellbeing.

The partnership also encourages tenants and families to try something new while experiencing different cultures.

Emma Wilson, New Charter's executive director of neighbourhoods said: "Our theatre project works with tenants of all ages and genders but this event was about celebrating and empowering women from our communities to go out there and try something new."

Kevin Shaw, chief executive and artistic director at the theatre, added: "Last year's International Women's Day with Aksa Homes was a great success and we were thrilled to welcome Aksa Homes and New Charter Homes this year.

"The Coliseum is a theatre for everyone, but for this special occasion it's the women who took centre stage, with a host of specially arranged activities and a look behind the scenes, including the Aladdin's cave that is our wardrobe department."