On International Women’s Day it seems an easy approach when it comes to my blog, to list some of the inspirational people I have had the privilege to meet. Just mentioning those in senior positions seems a bit odd, but it does at least show how the glass ceiling is largely being dismantled, even if slowly. In Sussex Police these names include Lisa Bell who is the Divisional Commander in Brighton and Hove, along with Jane Derrick and Di Roskilly, both of whom are Chief Superintendents (although Di is shortly due to retire!)and also the Chief Constable of Hampshire, Olivia Pinkney. There are other people who I have met including Dawn Whittaker who heads up East Sussex Fire and Rescue, Becky Shaw who heads up East Sussex County Council, Penny Thompson who was CE at Brighton and Hove City Council and Lisa Rodrigues from the NHS. In the world of church structures, I have the privilege to know Christine Wilson who is the Dean of Lincoln Cathedral and in the world of Business, Babs Moore from Amina and in the world of education, Debra Humphris at University of Brighton. The Voluntary sector is much harder to write about, partly because I know so many more people at senior levels with many organisations and partly because the sense of where the glass ceiling is, is harder to identify. One person who I have never met but who I know through social media is Jane Gould who heads up a charity called Clean Sheets which works to rehabilitate people who have been in prison. All of these people and the many others I know who are working to demonstrate how important women are to our society are fantastic and it is a privilege to have met all of them.

All bar Jane and Babs are either currently or were based in Sussex.