International Women's Day 2023: Celebrating 7 inspirational Edinburgh women leading the way in our communities

To mark International Women’s Day 2023, we speak to inspirational women involved in charity, community and campaign work in Edinburgh.

This International Women’s Day, we want to celebrate the women working and campaigning for change in Edinburgh today. Here are only some out of the hundreds of women giving their time and experience to causes they’re passionate about, and inspiring others.

Lucy Grieve and Alice Murray – Back Off Scotland

Lucy Grieve and Alice Murray were still studying at the University of Edinburgh in 2020 when they co-founded Back Off Scotland, a group which advocates for 150 metre buffer zones around sexual health clinics across the country. The campaign gained momentum, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon backing the cause in the summer of 2022.

International Women's Day 2023: We celebrate Edinburgh women who lead the way in charity and community work. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Lucy added: “In addition to working on the implementation of buffer zones in Scotland, Back Off Scotland have been using their platform to advocate for better access to services – focusing primarily on securing local, mid-trimester abortion care and working towards decriminalising abortion in Scotland.” The group started as Back Off Chalmers, focused on campaigning to allow people to access the NHS Chalmers Sexual Health Centre in the Capital without fear of harassment.

Linda Rogers – Edinburgh Women’s Aid

One of the most prominent charities in the country, Edinburgh Women’s Aid, was set up by a group of inspiring women over 50 years ago. For nearly a decade, the CEO has been Linda Rogers, who heads up the charity.

She said: “I am so proud to have worked for EWA for the last nine years and carry on the legacy of the amazing women who changed the face of responses to domestic abuse in Edinburgh and Scotland when it was founded. It really is such an honour to lead an organisation that has always been willing to change and which has been at the forefront of meeting the changing needs of women, children and young people affected by domestic abuse.”

From left to right: Linda Rodgers - CEO at EWA, Christina McKelvie, Minister for Equalities and Older People and Chair of Edinburgh Women’s Aid, Morag Waller.

EWA provides support for women and children who have experienced domestic abuse, with everything from legal support to a safe place to stay in a refuge. Linda said: “We are in this for the long haul - as long as there is a need, Edinburgh Women’s Aid will be here for women, children and young people affected by domestic abuse and we commit to continuing to develop our services to their needs and to supporting them to raise their voices.”

Anna Deacon – Sunrise Swim

Edinburgh Women’s Aid relies on donations and fundraising, and every year, on International Women’s Day, hundreds of women from across the area leap into the icy sea off Portobello beach to raise money.

One of the organisers, Anna Deacon, was delighted to announce that last year’s event raised over £8,000, and, although this year’s has been officially cancelled due to the snow, she is expecting people still to show up and donate. She explained: “The International Women’s Day swim event has been a wonderful way to build friendships, community and solidarity as well as raising money for Women’s Aid Edinburgh. It takes a lot of mental resilience to get in freezing cold water but the sense of achievement once you have done it is second to none, and doing it alongside hundreds of like minded women is an incredible feeling.”

Helen Brown – Water of Leith conservation

Over to one of the Capital’s most popular beauty spots now. The Water of Leith Conservation group is well known across the city, with an army of volunteers ensuring the preservation of the rivers wildlife and heritage. With litter flowing into the river daily, it is an ongoing challenge to keep it clean, and minimise the damage as much as possible of the plastics that end up there.

Trust Manager, Helen Brown, said: “I have worked to improve and protect the Water of Leith for the past 20 years, building up our small charity so we now deliver 300 conservation tasks and river clean-ups each year with a wonderful band of volunteers. Our visitor's centre is always a hive of activity inspiring the next generation to love nature and somewhere walkers to pick up a much-needed cuppa and have a blether. The river and its walkway are a vital active travel route and a wildlife corridor connecting blue and green spaces across the city.

"I'm proud to work in such a beautiful space and the chance to see wild otters and kingfishers each work day can't be bad.”

Clare MacGillvray – Making Rights Real

Focusing on Human Rights now, Edinburgh based Clare MacGillivray founded the group “Making Rights Real” and is also the Director of the organisation. Clare is a community worker, activist and campaigner for human rights and has over 20 years experience of working with communities campaigning for equality and social justice.

She has said that she is “doing work I love with people I love" adding that “Making Rights Real is a new charity in Scotland working alongside grassroots community groups to learn about human rights and use them to campaign for change happen in their communities. We’re working with women’s groups across Scotland to campaign on the issues that are important to them and bringing people together to have fun and support each other.

“Our first project, launched last year brought the internationally acclaimed play SEVEN, telling the stories of seven inspiring women from around the world to its premier in the Scottish Parliament for Human Rights Day.”

Kirsty Lewin – InfraSisters

Thousands of cyclists across the city might recognise the name of Kirsty Lewin, who is the founder of organisation InfraSisters, which is a “group of women campaigning for night-time cycling infrastructure in Edinburgh that’s safe and comfortable for women and girls.”

The group explains: "Male violence doesn’t just affect the women victims, it affects the behaviour of all women who weigh the risk of every decision they make. We believe that Edinburgh’s off-road paths, while important for leisure and mental health, particularly during the day, should not count as cycle infrastructure if they’re not safe for everyone every time.”

Kirsty told the Edinburgh Evening News the group is “calling on the Council to prioritise on-road cycling infrastructure that's protected from traffic on direct well-lit routes." The group held its first protest ride in November 2021, and will have its fourth on International Women's Day. While the rides are organised and led by women, everyone is welcome. The IWD ride leaves Middle Meadow Walk at 7.30pm and will be around an hour long.

Edinburgh weather: Heavy snow to cause ‘significant disruption’ across Capital, according to Met Office