🗞️ WSO Monthly Newsletter
✨ Past Events Highlights
📅 Upcoming Events
Issue: April 2026
🌝🚶♀️Weekly Wednesday Wellness Walks
Date: April 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2026.
Summary: Early in the month we were pleased to welcome Jackie D’Arcy the Warwick Mayor on our Wednesday Wellness Walk whom some of the ladies present knew from their school days. Women Stepping Out is one of the charities the mayor is fundraising for this year. It was a pleasantly mild evening and light so we could see and admire the flower beds, their fragrance in the evening sunshine and the glorious blossom on the trees. Everyone chatted relaxed and easily, enjoying a lovely stroll around the park. Come and join us one Wednesday evening and see what you think.
We’re not an exercise walk but more a reflective walk as we consider the day just gone and perhaps the one to come. If you have any concerns you would like to speak about in a friendly, informal peer support environment, come and join us. The evening Wednesday Wellness Walks are suited for the fit and the less mobile, including wheelchair users and for women who would feel uncomfortable in mixed company.
❄️🎅 Feature Her Friday Spotlights celebrating the “Wonderful Women of Warwickshire”
Date: April 10, & 16, 2026.
Summary: We continued our new feature to bring a spotlight on the inspiring women in our community. Each one of them brings something special to society, inspiring us to do better, get better, and be better! Watch this space for inspiring stories of “her” amongst us.
This month we featured these two amazing women:
🚺🚶♀️Margaret Hogg
This week we are spotlighting Margaret Hogg, founder of Women Stepping Out, a charity founded in 2023 supporting women through life’s challenges. With a culturally diverse team, it connects women to resources while building bridges across communities.
She says, “In order to reflect our diverse community, the charity Women Stepping Out that I founded in 2023, comprises of an intentionally culturally diverse team of women. We aim to be both a Link to resources supporting women in a time of challenge or difficulty and with our multicultural team, to be a Bridge between cultures encouraging greater social cohesion and integration, hopefully alleviating suspicion or isolation in our communities”.
“Our mission is, within a safe listening and learning space to empower women who feel overlooked or sidelined. With wellbeing walks, informal peer support, Speakers and Workshops we hope to restore confidence following a life challenge, rebuild a sense of identity and to support women as they move forward, in their own time and way.”
“The time between an unexpected event or considered decision and the next step is a space of many conflicting emotions, in which women need to feel heard, accepted and validated. The team have had their own life challenges and now want to help support women with relevant resources and companionship, while listening and learning from each other within our shared experiences of life.”
“Our service is free and provided in various ways, 1:1 email, our Facebook private forum and by regular inspirational posts on our social media, where we’re gradually gaining traction. We host Wednesday Wellness Walks for conversation, reflection or silent companionship as a means of outside informal peer support. The walks are suitable for women with poor mobility and women who wouldn’t walk in a mixed group.”
“We’re planning a range of Speakers, to hire space for art, craft and drama workshops and to host informal peer support groups. Come to see us at the Warwick Pursuits Festival and Leamington Peace Festival in June and hopefully at the Leamington EcoFest in August. “
“The charity was formed as I recovered following a life changing experience while living in America. It was still hard for me without family or friends to help, but I got through because I spoke the language. I ached for women, in difficulty like me but who couldn’t speak the language, how would they cope? Women Stepping Out is the result.”
“The charity strap line is Step Out- Speak Up- Have Hope. “
“Step Out of despair, difficulty or dysfunction. “
“Speak Up, talk to someone you trust will accept you just as you are and won’t judge you.”
“Have Hope. Probably the most important, never ever give up hope! Without hope there is no expectation of a future and that’s a desperate place to be. I know, I’ve been there.”
www.womensteppingout.co.uk info@womensteppingout.co.uk
Collaborating with
https://www.themaggieoliverfoundation.com/
#FeatureHerFriday #WomenSupportingWomen #women #StrongerTogether #HaveHope #womensteppingout
👩🦯🦮Alison Jones
We are spotlighting Alison Jones who is a Volunteer Coordinator at Warwickshire Vision Support in Warwick
Warwickshire Vision supports people living with sight loss. When we asked to share few words with us about her work she said, “I started worked at Warwickshire Vision as an Administration Officer (mainly supporting the Community Services team) in February 2022 at that time I learnt a great deal about the database we use and the services we offer. My background is accounting / finance in large corporate company’s and the skills I had in organising tasks set me in good stead for the role at Warwickshire Vision.
Later in 2022 the opportunity for a shared role as a Volunteer Coordinator to cover the South a raise which I was successful in and have been enjoying the role very since. In mid-2025 the role was reduced to one part time volunteer coordinator which I had the pleasure to uptake and now cover the whole of Warwickshire.”
“During my time in the role, I have had the pleasure of meeting and talking to many of the volunteers which is the highlight of my role and sharing experiences. Also I get to meet other charity’s representatives to network were we can share information and hopefully help each other in our roles.”
“The change in career path was a personal one and I have found it more rewarding and motivating than anything I have done. By choosing to change direction I found the most amazing support from my husband Paul, manager Rebcca and friends and family. My message is to find something if possible that you value yourself and others genuine appreciate your contribution to as it is worth more than anything.”
https://www.warwickshire.vision/
#WarwickshireVisionSupport #VolunteeringMatters #CommunityImpact #Warwick #MakingADifference
💃🪇👯♀️Circle Dance
We have a featured speaker each month and this time it was Anne Burrell a Kenilworth Circle Dance teacher. This event in the Warwick Pickard Street Community Centre was very well attended. Sixteen ladies enjoyed hearing about the origins of circle dancing, the various folk traditions and local adaptations. There were seated dances and then standing requiring more concentration but once we’d got into the flow of the music, the dance became strangely reflective and meditative. An enjoyable and fun evening with excellent hospitality. Check our social pages for our upcoming events.
📢🖼️🚺 WSO has a New Flyer
Finally, we have taken delivery of our new updated charity Flyers, so look out for them in the weeks to come.
🕊️🪷Warwick Festival of Peacebuilding
Local residents, schools, visitors and organisations will come together in a shared celebration of peace, diversity and collective action. The event will begin Friday May 8th from 6-9pm in St Mary’s Church Warwick with a youth panel discussion centred on young people’s perspective. Panelists will answer questions put to them from youth representatives and students from across the region on Climate, Social Equality, Disabled Rights, Sustainable Housing and Ethnic Rights. On Saturday May 9th there’ll be a display of local organisations and charities working towards community integration, and harmony. Find us there from 11am to 3pm.