For a second year, we’re celebrating Bath and North East Somerset’s most inspiring women to mark International Women’s Day 2023, which this year takes place on Wednesday 8th March.
In print and online this feature was one of our most read in 2022, so again, through our social media channels, we asked our followers to vote for the women who inspire them, and we created a list of 20.
The women will be featured in our spring Bath magazine and we will be profiling and championing each of these fantastic women online and via our social feeds.
This feature is sponsored by Milsted Langdon accountants. Milsted Langdon decided to support this activity as they are passionate about supporting women in business and helping local communities thrive through their work with business owners, charities and not-for-profits.
Gill Freeman, Partner and Head of Charity and Not-For-Profit at Milsted Langdon, said, “The business world is full of hugely talented and successful women who not only run businesses or work in demanding roles, but they often also juggle caring responsibilities at the same time. It’s important to highlight the contribution that women make to the wider community, and to support each other whilst encouraging and empowering the younger generations.”
Today we put the spotlight on Ruth Hooper, Trusts and Foundations Fundraiser for Designability.
Ruth has been working at Designability (formerly the Bath Institute of Medical Engineering) for nearly 50 years.
Her first day was on 13th August 1973 when she started working as a secretary to support a small team of five. She didn’t think she would stay long, but as the need to raise funds became crucial to the work continuing, Ruth was launched into the world of direct mail fundraising!
Using an electric typewriter, she would produce a couple of hundred letters each year, with a carbon copy for the file and a record kept on an index card. A word processor came on the scene, making the job easier and then the arrival of a computer and the internet changed the speed of research and mailing letters.
Ruth says that searching for ‘donor penfriends’ who might support Designability is her perfect job, as she bridges the gap between engineers creating products to help improve life for people with disabilities, and funders who have incredible power to make good things happen.
Ruth said, “It is such a great way to spend my working life! Raising funds to help run Designability’s loan scheme for powered wheelchairs called Wizzybugs is just one area of our work. Watching a child move independently for the very first time is inspiration at its best!”
Bath’s most inspiring women – sponsored by Milsted Langdon. Visit: www.milstedlangdon.co.uk to find out more.
The Business Exchange is hosting a special International Women’s Day event at Walcot House on the evening of 8th March from 7-9pm. Find out more and book your tickets here.
