TO MARK International Women’s Day on Wednesday, March 8, there will be a special Wine, Women and Song event at The Sundial Theatre in Cirencester.

The event has been organised as part of the Abbey 900 celebrations.

Clive Hook from Orchestrated by ClearWorth, the event organisers, said: “One of the Abbey 900 objectives is to engage the community, and this is a wonderful way to do just that and celebrate a global event right here in Cirencester.

"There are events all over the world but this is the only one in Gloucestershire – we’re really proud of the community spirit that’s making this happen”

Asked about the meaning of the event’s title he explained:  “We’ve got wine from women winemakers, music and dancing by women for women and about women.

"But we’ve also got beer made by Cirencester’s very own woman brewer, Lucy Cordrey of Corinimum Ales. There’s everything from Bollywood to the only female Morris dancing troupe in the world – it’ll be quite a party.”

The event is raising money for the Multiple Sclerosis society because three times as many women contract MS as men.

Not only that, every ticket sold will help feed a young girl rescued from sex trafficking in India and educate a young mother on health issues for her and her child in Bihar.

Lisbee Stainton will be sharing brand new tracks from her album to be released two days later.

Local women performers such as Patsy Gamble and Phillippa Lay from Stroud, Alison Hustwitt from Nailsworth, and Ann Blagden from Cheltenham will all be contributing to the festivities and the programme includes the singing of “Bread and Roses” by everyone – a song written to acknowledge the fight for equal rights for women workers.

  • Doors open at 6;30pm and tickets are available by phone on 0333 666 33 66 or online at http://bit.ly/ClearWorthTickets and in the Tourist Information Office in Cirencester at the Corinium Museum.