A brand new event spotlighting the inspirational stories of 11 women has raised £2,300 for three local charities.

Ninety people joined Leamington Soroptimists' sold out inaugural Raise Up Conference on Sunday 29 September, to hear from leading lights in the worlds of business and charity in south Warwickshire.

Their deeply personal tales touched on a host of topics, from physical and mental health challenges, through to bullying, addiction, grooming, misogyny and physical abuse.

All proceeds from the day supported Warwickshire-based charities The OurJay Foundation, Esther Project and New Futures Nepal.

The event is the latest passion project of Soroptimists President – and Leamington podcaster and author – Catherine Williamson, whose Gobsmacked! Podcast is also dedicated to celebrating inspirational life stories, and has now been heard in more than 113 countries.

Of the conference, she said: "Since our inception just 15 months ago, we've been dedicated to making a difference, not just through our fundraising efforts for women-focused charities like The Esther Project WOW and Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (CRASAC), but also by actively engaging in our community. Hosting this conference was a natural step in our journey.

"Despite the tight time frames, we pushed forward with a vision to create something special. On Sunday, that vision became a reality as 11 inspiring women took to the stage to 'Raise Up' their voices, delivering powerful messages to over 90 attendees. The energy in the room was incredible, and we were thrilled to see 36 places sponsored by other women for women.

"This conference aimed to provide attendees with inspiration, hope and practical insights through the personal experiences of our speakers. It shone a light on how we can triumph over adversity; our speakers' stories raising up our own lives with insights, hope, wit and wisdom."

Councillor Hema Yella Pragada, Zelda Wilson and Margaret Hogg Stepping Out (Photo by Rob Walls Photography)

Compered by Catherine, inspirational keynote speakers throughout the day were:

• Julie White, from Coventry - MD of D-Drill & Sawing with branches across the UK
• Dayle Adams, from Leamington - a Reiki Master, Holistic Therapist, and Psychic Medium with a passion for end-of-life planning and spiritual growth
• Tessa Morton, from Leamington who runs the Tessa Morton Partnership as well as being a qualified cognitive behaviour therapist and passionate advocate for the autistic community
• Tamar Groeneveld, from Leamington - a Wellness Expert, Personal Trainer, and Mind Coach of over 20 years
• Hannah Simnett, from Sutton Coldfield - the Founder and CEO of Cherished, a Birmingham-based charity dedicated to empowering and supporting young girls in her community who feel marginalised or bullied
• Lianne Kirkman, from Leamington – CEO of The Esther Project, a new initiative providing gender-specific supported accommodation for women affected by trauma and abuse
• Sally Bee, from Stratford – who, despite living with a potentially fatal heart condition, channels her experiences into positivity, sharing life tools through her bestselling books, TV shows and online club
• Dr Mandy Barnett, from Leamington – who has worked for over 30 years in the NHS and as an Associate Clinical Professor at Warwick Medical School
• Nicola Enoch, from Leamington - who established charity The Ups of Downs and support network Positive about Down syndrome

Other guest speakers on the day included Zelda Wilson, from Hampton Magna and Saorise Welland, from Leamington. Zelda recently returned from her latest adventure - a 500km cycling trip on a fold-up bike over the Alps – despite still battling Grade 4 terminal cancer!

Saorise found sobriety three years ago at the age of 26 and is now in the process of writing a book exploring her turbulent past with alcohol, drugs and an eating disorder.

Part of the proceeds from the day have funded a defibrillator for The OurJay Foundation, established by Naomi Rees-Issitt following her son Jamie's death aged just 18. Naomi, from Rugby, has dedicated the last four years of her life to the charity, installing nearly 300 defibrillators across Warwickshire and Coventry.

She has achieved huge national awareness with her campaigning and it's her ambition to have defibrillators installed on every street corner in the country.

Naomi said: "We'd just like to say a huge thank you to Catherine Williams and everyone who took park in Sunday's Raise up Conference. We hope we can get a location sorted very soon for this accessible defibrillator to be installed.

"It's truly amazing how everyone came together to raise the funds for the defibrillator and we look forward to getting it installed and emergency ready for another community."

Sally Bee, from Stratford speaking at Raise Up Conference (image by Rob Walls Photography)

Some of the money will also fund a disabled wheelchair for The Nirmala Foundation, which provides essential equipment for aspiring young athletes in Nepal, including the Young Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team.

The conference, held at The Fold in Leamington, proved so popular, Catherine is hoping to repeat it next year.

She added: "A special thank you to the companies and individuals who made this event possible: Tekton Billing, PLMR Advent, Act for Autism, The Cycling GK, Flick Learning Ltd, Aesthetics Event Staff Ltd, D-Drill (Master Drillers) Limited, and Gareth Evans and his team at The Fold for their incredible support."

For more information about Leamington Soroptimists visit the website.