Today, 8th March 2026, is International Women’s Day (IWD). IWD invites people everywhere to recognise the contributions women make in their communities, workplaces and daily lives. The 2026 theme, Give to Gain, highlights how generosity, collaboration and shared support can help create environments where everyone grows. It encourages people and organisations to offer time, encouragement and opportunities, reminding us that small acts of giving often have a far wider impact.
Across our diocese, women live this spirit out in practical and meaningful ways. Whether they are creating welcoming spaces, offering care, supporting families or building community connections, their contributions help others feel supported and able to flourish. This year, we are marking International Women’s Day by sharing some of their stories and celebrating the many ways they give so others can gain.
Cesca Meager
“I’m often told my role has added a new spring of life to the church.”
As the Children and Families Worker at St Barnabas, Cesca creates welcoming spaces where families feel settled and supported. Each week begins with Barney’s Toddler Group, followed by the Safe Hang Out Space for 8 to 15 year olds. Families often describe these groups as “warm, welcoming and inclusive”, and they have become part of the weekly rhythm for many.
Once a month, Cesca leads Messy Church and an all age service. She has long hoped for a natural link between the two and is delighted to see this starting to happen. As she puts it, the regular congregation “love these services too”.
Beyond weekly groups, Cesca builds relationships with community organisations and local schools, such as delivering 'Easter in a Box' sessions. Many people have told her she has “added a new spring of life to the church”, and she celebrates the incredible team of volunteers who make it all possible.
Dianne Yeandel
“It is a great privilege to lead worship and serve God through the people I meet every day.”
Dianne's week is filled with the quiet, steady work that keeps a community strong. She supports pastoral care, helps run the weekly Café in the Church and monthly craft group, and plays a key role in bereavement support due to the parish’s link with Canford Cemetery.
She enjoys helping lead Open the Book in local schools and has rung church bells since she was a teenager, filling her community with a beautiful sound. Reflecting on her ministry, Dianne says it is “a great privilege to lead worship and serve God through the people I meet every day”.
Kim Samuels
“I feel blessed that doing something I love has such a profound effect on those who take part.”
Kim has spent more than three decades in Bristol, dedicating her work as a music educator to creating and leading gospel choirs across both community spaces and church settings. What began as a love of harmony has grown into a ministry of connection, where people discover far more than music in the shared act of singing.
Over the years, choir members have described finding family, support, joy, transformation, belonging, medicine, love, God, a home, an uplift, friendship, connection, comfort during difficult times, prayer, and teamwork. As their voices blend, so too do their stories, forming a space where hearts are held, encouraged and renewed.
Kim’s choirs also bring joy outward, sharing their music with audiences of all kinds. One listener expressed their impact simply: “In the darkness we are a bright light.”
For Kim, the privilege is profound. What may seem like just lyrics and melodies becomes something much deeper; a shared experience that brings healing, belonging and hope to those who sing and those who listen.
Maria Whiteman
“Amid the weekly juggling, I feel incredibly grateful — the variety, the conversations, and the chance to serve in different spaces feel like a real blessing.”
Maria has worshipped at Holy Trinity Hotwells for eleven years and now serves as churchwarden. Alongside this, she works as a sewing tutor and part time at the Cathedral Welcome Desk. In each role, she focuses on helping people feel comfortable and able to connect. She enjoys noticing the small details, making connections and quietly linking people with information so others can flourish.
Supporting her mum after a recent bereavement has become part of her weekly rhythm. Maria hopes that through time, calm attention and encouragement, others gain confidence and a sense of belonging. She adds that “the variety, the conversations, and the chance to serve in different spaces feel like a real blessing”.
Sinead Andrews
“When I close the doors at the end of the day I often feel a deep sense of contentment knowing God has worked through me.”
Every Tuesday, Sinead leads The Well Listening Café at St Andrew's, Avonmouth with a dedicated team of volunteers. The café welcomes people experiencing loneliness, addiction, mental health challenges and pressures at home.
Up to 60 people stay for lunch, many of whom return weekly. Around half stay for Thirst, a Fresh Expression of church. Sinead has seen trust deepen over time and says that even those new to faith often share their thoughts after a Bible passage is read. For many, The Well “has become their church”.
She also notes the quiet transformation she sees in people as they leave feeling lighter. Although she sometimes feels she has little to offer beyond opening the doors, she finishes each day with “a deep sense of contentment knowing God has worked through me”.
Helena Thomas
“ Being part of a wonderful group of people representing their churches and all seeking to care for God’s world makes me feel humbled, inspired and full of hope.”
Helena’s faith motivates her to respond actively to the climate and nature crises. She is involved with Green Christian and supports a range of local and national environmental action groups. As chair of her church’s Eco Group, she also co‑ordinates a growing network of churches in the Swindon area. What began nearly two years ago as a conversation between two congregations has now become a group of eight churches who meet regularly, both online and in person, to support one another on their Eco Church journeys.
Working together has helped them engage not only their congregations but also their wider communities in caring for the environment. The group is currently planning a programme of events for a Green Festival in June, and Helena has seen their shared confidence and conviction grow. More churches are joining the movement, demonstrating that the church can play an active and hopeful role in climate justice and environmental care.
Karen Reader
“I encouraged parents of SEND children and neurodivergent adults that the Church wanted them there exactly as God has made them.”
Karen helped plant The Well, Swindon in 2021 alongside Paul Freeland, and she soon noticed how many neurodivergent people were finding a home there. This shaped her commitment to ensuring church life was as accessible, welcoming and reassuring as possible. She actively encouraged parents of SEND children and neurodivergent adults, reminding them that they were fully valued and included.
In response to local needs, she helped launch The Living Room, a warm, community‑centred space offering free cuppas, cake and pay‑as‑you‑can meals. After school, it becomes a relaxed place where families can unwind, share food and spend time together.
Karen is now exploring ordination after years of not seeing women publicly balancing motherhood with ministry. Embracing her calling with honesty about its challenges, she hopes that through her own imperfect juggling of life and vocation, other women might recognise that there is room for them to
Sarah Douglas
“We need to understand and cherish one another deeply and authentically.”
After receiving late diagnoses of autism and ADHD, Sarah became involved in research and support relating to neurodiversity. She now volunteers as a co-facilitator for the Diocese’s introductory Neurodiversity Training programme.
Sarah believes that understanding one another’s differences is essential for building communities where people feel they belong. She hopes the training will “gently inform, whilst challenging damaging stereotypes”, helping churches appreciate the many ways people think, learn and communicate.
Leanne Parkes
“I wanted to use my time and skills so that other families can gain as much as my family have.”
As a trustee of Special Friends Club, Leanne supports families of children and young people with disabilities across Bristol and South Gloucestershire. The charity provides activities during weekends and school holidays that reduce isolation and build confidence.
Leanne helps plan events and short breaks, oversees funding applications and works with venues to ensure accessibility. Her own family benefitted from the charity, particularly in the long summer holidays when the thought of entertaining a disabled child and sibling was overwhelming. This experience inspired her to become a trustee and use her time and skills to raise awareness and help other families to “gain as much as my family have”.
Pat and Toni-Jo
“It gives me a sense of wellbeing knowing that Toni-Jo and I have helped to create a thriving community.”
Mother and Daughter duo, Pat and Toni-Jo, founded the Christ Church Swindon Lunch Club in October 2024. It has grown into a lively weekly gathering of around 30 diners who enjoy a homemade meal and friendly conversation. They also plan seasonal events and social activities that extend community throughout the week.
Their work has reduced loneliness, encouraged volunteers and strengthened local relationships. As Pat says, “the work of running the lunch club is hard work but very rewarding” and it brings her a strong sense of wellbeing knowing that a warm and supportive community has formed.
The theme Give to Gain reminds us that thoughtful acts of kindness, support, and encouragement can shape stronger, more connected communities. These stories shine a light on just a few of the women across our diocese who help others grow by giving of themselves.
We would love to hear your stories too
If there is a woman who has made a positive difference in your life or community, please comment on our social media posts or email us at comms@bristoldiocese.org. We are always keen to hear good news from your context.