Remarkable women honoured in empowerment show

2 hours ago

Alex Pope

News image — Katharine of Aragon is buried at Peterborough Cathedral

Getty A close-up of a portrait of Katharine of Aragon as a young woman. She is wearing a black headdress edged with red and gold braid and embroidery. Her red hair can be seen pulled back at her forehead. She is lowering her eyes to look down. — Katharine of Aragon is buried at Peterborough Cathedral

An exhibition that celebrates inspiring women aims to encourage conversations about "equality, leadership, and the important role women continue to play in shaping communities", its organisers have said.

The Women Empowerment event at Peterborough Cultural Centre recognises both International Women's Day, taking place today, and Women's History Month.

Katharine of Aragon, the first of Henry VIII's six wives; Edith Cavell, a nurse executed during World War One; Bernadetta Omondi, an organiser of black history events; and Faustina Yang, founder of the Chinese Community in Peterborough, are among those featured.

They represent "professional excellence and public contribution", the centre said.

Bernadetta Omondi Bernadetta Omondi representing the Black History Month committee in Peterborough at a previous event. She wears a white top with brightly coloured orange fabrics wrapped around her arms and waist. She also wears a brightly coloured head dress and jewellery around her neck. — Bernadetta Omondi has organised black history events across Peterborough for more than a decade

It said the exhibition, running throughout March, had brought together "a diverse group of remarkable women, representing different backgrounds, professions, and generations".

It included portraits and profiles of the women, so visitors could learn about their lives and their contributions to the "social, cultural, and civic life of Peterborough".

Also featured are Gillian Beasley, the former chief executive of Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council, and journalist Rajni Reddy.