A new organization in Bradford West Gwillimbury is aiming to create a space to empower all women, with no strings attached.
Bradford Women’s+ Group, launched late last year by local residents Sukham Dhindsa, Jennifer Lloyd, and Leeann Scott, will regularly host themed workshops, starting this month.
“There needs to be a space in Bradford for women” to learn, talk about women’s issues and become empowered, without having to pay or sign up for anything, said Dhindsa.
“Women’s voices are important. Women are (at) the forefront of so many things, but they don’t have a space. Bradford is home, but (there) isn’t really a space outside of meeting at Coffee Culture for drinks.”
The group is hoping to host a workshop once a month, with additional events, on topics ranging from finances, to mental health.
There are other similar groups in town, such as Successful Women Always Networking (SWAN), which is geared to business women, Dhindsa said, but Bradford Women’s+ Group is meant to allow women time away from personal and professional obligations so they can learn more about themselves.
The group is open to all women aged 18 and older — including cis and trans women, as well as non-binary, gender non-conforming, and gender-questioning people interested in women’s issues — a distinction that is important to the organization’s founders, Dhindsa said.
“This event is for self-identifying women as well. We’ve realized gender isn’t something that’s fixed, and we want a safe space for the diverse women of Bradford,” she said.
Dhindsa, a lawyer, Lloyd, a social work student at Wilfrid Laurier University, and Scott, who works with youth with autism at IBI Behavioural Services, started Bradford Women’s+ Group on their own time.
They were inspired by a community hub in Toronto that offered a similar women’s group, said Dhindsa.
They applied for a space in BWG last fall and have an agreement to host their workshops in the Zima Room of the BWG Public Library for 10 months.
The first workshop — called Goal Setting, Goal Getting — will focus on wellbeing.
It will be held at the library Jan. 10, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and feature Karen Hicks, a personal development coach at the Bradford Wellness Centre.
The free event will focus on how women can live their best lives, how stress and sleep affect wellbeing, and other topics, said Dhindsa.
All the events will include “strong women” as speakers, she said.
The second workshop will be in February — exact date to be announced — and include a talk with a yoga instructor and focus on self love, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
The third workshop will be held April 1 and include a discussion about money smarts with Marlene Falcon, managing director and co-founder of Falcon Lam Financial.
Bradford Women’s+ Group is also hoping to host an International Women’s Day event in March.
Dhindsa said she and the other co-founders hope lots of women from BWG and the surrounding area will come out and join the group’s workshops and events this year.
“After embarking on our own journeys of healing, growth, and empowerment, we decided to spread our message of positivity and build a community of women who want to do the same. We believe that the power of positivity and community can change and enrich our lives,” she said.
“There’s no hidden message; there’s no hidden agenda. Just come and learn.”
For more information, visit the group’s Facebook and Instagram pages, or email [email protected] to join a email distribution list or ask about leading a workshop.
