Give To Gain in Sheffield: a women only International Women’s Day celebration

On 12 March 2026, Sisters Not Strangers and City of Sanctuary Sheffield hosted a women only International Women’s Day gathering at the City of Sanctuary Sheffield venue. The event was hosted locally by the DEWA team, representing Sisters Not Strangers in Sheffield as one of the coalition’s seven member organisations across England and Wales. Eighty-six women and children attended. It was a social evening rooted in connection, joy, and the simple but powerful experience of women being able to gather freely and safely.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Give To Gain”, felt deeply aligned with our community’s values. Generosity showed up in many forms: women giving time, food, kindness, practical help, and encouragement, and in return gaining connection, confidence, and a stronger sense of belonging. Giving here was not a burden. It was collective care that multiplied what women could access and feel.

For Sisters Not Strangers, this links directly to what we campaign for. Women’s mental health and wellbeing are shaped by the conditions around them: safety, dignity, stable support, and the chance to participate in community life without fear. Creating women only spaces is not a side activity. It is one way we translate our campaigning into practice, by reducing isolation and making it easier for women to connect, rebuild confidence, and feel seen as equals. It also reflects our wider Right to Heal work, which centres women’s right to recover from the harms of the asylum system and rebuild life with dignity.

The event was shaped by what women have been telling us for a long time: women only spaces matter. For many women with lived experience of displacement, trauma, and isolation, these spaces are a practical condition for participation. In mixed spaces, some women hold back. In women only spaces, many feel able to speak, laugh, share food, and be fully present without fear of judgement.

Women described the impact in simple, powerful words (shared anonymously):

“I have been avoiding going out for a long time. My daughter encouraged me to come tonight, and now I feel I belong here.”

“This is my first time coming to a public event in Sheffield city centre. It feels truly multicultural, women from all walks of life. We need more spaces like this.”

“In women only asylum accommodation we feel isolated, far from the real world. When we come here, we feel safe and comfortable with women speaking different languages and having different beliefs. Everyone looks happy and equal.”

Because the gathering took place during Ramadan, we shared Iftar/dinner together. We are grateful to Andalus Community Centre Sheffield for their support, which helped make the evening thoughtful and welcoming for women who were fasting.

The atmosphere in Sheffield was warm and energising. You could feel the room soften as women settled in, recognised familiar faces, and made space for newcomers. Women shared food, talked openly, and celebrated in their own ways, with children welcomed as part of the community.

By the end of the evening, the feedback was clear. Many women spoke about feeling happy, free, and comfortable in a women only space. Several asked if we could organise more women only events and celebrations in the future. We take that seriously. Inclusion is not only about inviting women into existing spaces. It is also about creating the right spaces, shaped by women themselves.

As Sisters Not Strangers, it meant a lot to host this with City of Sanctuary Sheffield because it reflects our values: dignity, solidarity, and women led community care. We are also deeply grateful to City of Sanctuary Sheffield and Andalus Community Centre Sheffield for working alongside us, and to everyone who helped make the evening safe, respectful, and welcoming. We also want to thank our funders and wider supporters who make it possible for us to turn this work into real spaces of connection and healing for women.

This event reflected what partnership can look like in practice, creating a welcoming space in the heart of the city. In Sheffield, the UK’s first City of Sanctuary, the spirit of give to gain continues to grow.

Dr Ibtissam Al-Farah

SNS Coordinator