A variety of events will be taking place in Frome this March to celebrate International Women's Day on Friday 8th March. The theme in 2024 is 'inspire inclusion'. Events include 'lightning talks' at the Cheese and Grain, theatre show Lu in Luland's 'Self Love Revolution' at the Merlin, and a training session with Frome Town Women's Football Team.

Dawn Denton is back with more Lightning Talks this year, hosted at the Cheese and Grain's Grain Bar on Wednesday 6th March from 7pm to 9pm. Dawn has curated speakers who will each have five minutes to talk about a topic that will touch, move and inspire the audience. The event is free to attend, and everyone is welcome. Amongst the speakers this year is Liv Torc ,with a newly commissioned poem to mark the launch of a new plastic free period initiative.

Also at the Cheese and Grain on Tuesday 5th March is a discussion Dr Samantha Hiew on ADHD and Women. Dr Hiew is a multi-award-winning storyteller, scientist and social entrepreneur. In the show, she explores the collective experience of what it means to be a woman in this world. This talk will highlight the lives that women have endured to spark self-acceptance, compassion and love, empowering you with individualised ways of moving forward that work for you.

Trio Paradis' March Café Concert programme is titled 'Daughters of the Muse', in celebration of International Women's Day. The concert features music by women composers, including Germaine Tailleferre, Lila Boulanger, Pauline Viardot, Rebecca Clark (Dumka) and Rosalind Ellicott. It will be held at Christ Church, from 1.15pm to 2pm on Thursday 7th March. Entrance is by donation, no need to book.

Frome Festival are celebrating International Women's Day by sharing a delicious lunch at Bistro Lotte and a chance to meet award-winning author Lily Dunn. Lily's book 'Sins of My Father: A Daughter, a Cult, a Wild Unravelling' was chosen as non-fiction book of the year 2022 by The Guardian and The Spectator. This event is sold out: look out for more fundraising events from the festival in the future.

Performer Lou Featherstone's one-woman show 'Lu in Luland' takes place on 8th March at 7.30pm at the Merlin, and is all about living life to the fullest. Lou is driven by a deep sense of purpose to connect humans and empower women to embrace themselves as they are; find their confidence either for the first time or rediscovering it; to tackle life head on; to embrace the fear and find their voice and inner strength. Join Lou on International Women's Day at the Merlin, as she takes you with her on her very personal journey to self-love, sharing all the glorious, hilarious, painful, life-changing turns.

This year Boulder Rooms will be screening the latest films from Women's Adventure Film Tour at 8pm on Friday 8th March. It features an exhilarating selection of seven new short films, showcasing the inspiring journeys of remarkable women who have fearlessly pursued adventure in various fields. This year's tour promises to captivate audiences with incredible stories of determination, courage, and triumph.

Frome Families for the Future are hosting a peaceful Mothers Circle on Saturday 9th March from 11am to 12pm outside Frome Library, to demonstrate for more action to mitigate climate change, for all children everywhere. Wrap up warm and bring a chair or blanket to join in with speeches and songs, signs welcome but not essential.

'Train with the team' is back in 2024 with the players from Frome Town Women's Football Team. Anyone interested in giving football a try is welcome to a free, friendly, easy training session which will allow you to ask any questions while having a kickabout. The session is open to all females aged six and over and will take place on Monday 18th March at Selwood School's 3G pitch from 6pm to 7pm. The event is free but booking is essential.

The Plastic Free Period team are launching a campaign to raise £4,500 to bring plastic free period product 'celebration packs' to year 8 and 9 students. Designed to alleviate period anxiety and poverty and help prevent thousands of period products going to landfill, the campaign centres on raising money for sustainable (and plastic free) menstrual products that will set the students on a plastic-free period path, also helping save money. Crowdfunding to give a free period pack to every Year 8 and 9 student in Frome who needs one – can you help? on JustGiving

The team at Frome Medical Practice are also leading the town in dressing in purple to bring awareness of International Women's Day. Could you join them where you work?

For information and tickets for all of the above please go to: https://www.discoverfrome.co.uk/whats-on-in-frome-for-international-womens-day/