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Thousands sign up for Bristol International Women's Day

BWV Beauty QueensBWV
Dance trio 2 O'Clock Beauty Queens have created a performance with year 9 students from Merchants Academy

More than 1,000 women have signed up to mark International Women's Day at a celebration event in Bristol.

Bristol Women's Voice (BWV) said more than 1,400 people had signed up for the free event at City Hall on Saturday with the "number still rising".

Ellie Vowles, from BWV, said: "Over 3,000 people braved the snow last year and we expect even more this year."

Bristol West MP Thangam Debbonaire said she was "pleased to hear the event will be so well-attended".

Nikki Powell Thangam DebbonaireNikki Powell
Labour MP for Bristol West Thangam Debbonaire is part of a panel looking at Women and Power

Ms Debbonaire along with Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens and local activists are taking part in a panel-lead discussion looking at women and power.

"International Women's Day is a sign we have not yet achieved gender equality and an opportunity to look at how far we have come, celebrate our achievements and plan for future success," Ms Debbonaire said.

The programme includes workshops tackling issues such as gender-based violence, women's health and maternity rights. Local artists, musicians and dancers will also perform across the day.

BWV Burning BrassBWV
All-women brass band Burning Brass are taking part and said the day provided "an opportunity to inspire more women and girls to take up an instrument"

Vic Hole, from dance trio 2 O'Clock Beauty Queens, worked with year nine female students from Merchants Academy to create a piece for the event.

She said: "It's a really important piece for International Women's Day exploring identity, support and shared values on how it feels to be a woman in their teenage years, a woman in their 30s and a woman in their 40s."

BWV/Mireya Gonzalez Jenny DavisBWV/Mireya Gonzalez
Actor Jenny Davis is performing a one-woman theatre piece on Bristolian Windrush generation nurse Princess Campbell

Actor Jenny Davis said: "I was a feminist from my 20s, and I still feel despair that some of the arguments that I heard and that I thought we were fighting years ago, we're still saying those things now.

"That always leaves me thinking, 'are we still here?' But International Women's Day has just got to be about making our mark constantly, using our visibility and celebrating it."