WISH Scotland Spring Newsletter 2025

WISH Scotland Spring Newsletter 2025

WISH Scotland Celebrates International Women’s Day 2025 at Scotland’s Housing Festival

What a fantastic and packed-out event we had at Scotland’s Housing Festival earlier this week to mark International Women’s Day 2025!

A huge thank you to everyone who attended and to our incredible speakers, Kate Polson from The Rock Trust and Tracey Longworth from Orkney Housing Association Limited. Kate shared invaluable insights on tackling youth homelessness, while Tracey offered a powerful perspective on domestic abuse and its impact on women. Their expertise and passion made for a truly thought-provoking and impactful session.

A special shoutout to our fabulous Chair, Kirsty Wells, CIHCM, who expertly guided the conversation and kept the energy high throughout.

We are also extremely grateful to Elderpark Housing for their generous sponsorship of this event—your support helps us continue driving conversations and change within the housing sector.

It was fantastic to see some of our male allies staying behind to show their support for #AccelerateAction and #InternationalWomensDay2025—though some did manage to escape! Your presence and advocacy are crucial in pushing for real gender equality in the sector.

A big thank you as well to Catherine Louch, Fiona Koroma PgDip CIHCM, and Katie Stewart for warmly welcoming delegates to the session. Your enthusiasm set the perfect tone for a day of meaningful discussions and networking.

Finally, we’re incredibly grateful to Kerry Clayton MSc CIHCM, Kate Polson, and Tracey Longworth for their valuable contributions to the session, ensuring the conversation remained insightful and impactful.

As we continue celebrating International Women’s Day 2025, we’re thrilled to share an insightful article featuring Gillian Duddy and Eli Harji, two inspiring WISH Scotland members dedicated to empowering women through their voluntary work. Thank you to the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations for highlighting the incredible efforts of WISH Scotland in creating meaningful change across the sector.