International Womens Day: Brighton’s Big Weekend and a Sea Dip for Change
On streets that will host stalls, church halls that will fill with local groups and a shoreline that will gather hundreds in wetsuits, international womens day is unfolding across Brighton as a string of events brings visibility, activism and celebration into a single week.
What is International Womens Day in Brighton this year?
The city is hosting a series of events to mark International Women’s Day, with celebrations reported across the week. Organisers have scheduled activity from midweek through a weekend festival, including a centrepiece Network gathering at a Unitarian church and a mass sea swim that will bring hundreds into the water. The official theme this year, ‘Give to Gain’, frames the programme as a mix of recognition, campaigning and community-building.
Who is organising the city events and what is The Big Swim?
Local government and community groups are running the city-wide programme. Brighton & Hove City Council has highlighted a variety of events across the city and framed the week as a chance to celebrate women’s achievements and press for equality. The Network of International Women is staging an annual gathering at Brighton Unitarian Church that will feature local organisations, live music, food and children’s activities.
At the coast, The Big Swim is a separate, high-profile event conceived as a shared plunge for solidarity. Nicky Chisholm, creator of The Big Swim and described in local coverage as a Brighton adventurer, said: “It’s uplifting, joyous, and a light protest. ” The Big Swim will bring 500 swimmers to Brighton’s shore at the scheduled start time, joining a matched group on another stretch of coastline in a joint expression of visibility and environmental concern.
Rosie Tanner, of Land & Wave, underlined the outdoor and inclusion focus for the Dorset contingent: “Land & Wave has long been campaigning to get more women working and playing in the outdoors, so we’re delighted to be welcoming a huge Dorset contingent to The Big Swim. ” The event partners with a marine charity to raise funds through ticket sales, and organisers expect donations and community support to be part of the outcome.
How can communities take part and what does ‘Give to Gain’ ask of participants?
The ‘Give to Gain’ theme is presented as a call to generosity in many forms: donations, knowledge, resources, infrastructure, visibility, advocacy, education, training, mentoring and time. The council has urged people to contribute by challenging stereotypes, calling out discrimination and celebrating women’s success. Council leader Bella Sankey, Brighton & Hove City Council, said: “This year’s theme, ‘Give to Gain’, really drives forward the notion that if we invest our time, our efforts, our resources and care into creating opportunities for women, the results don’t take long to show. “
Practical routes into participation span volunteering at community gatherings to joining the sea swim. The Big Swim organisers have built accessibility into the plan: a group of adaptive and wheelchair swimmers will take part, and the event includes beach wheelchairs and disabled changing facilities. Ticketing for the swim includes a charitable donation component intended to support coastal conservation work, and organisers have aimed to make the event welcoming for women and allies of all backgrounds.
Brighton’s city announcements also note operational details that affect residents during the week: some communal waste collections are disrupted while specialist vehicle repairs are completed, and there are technical issues with the online planning register that have prompted alternative contact arrangements for planning enquiries.
Back on the shoreline and in church halls, the varied events and the single-theme ask come together: give time, give voice, give support. As Brighton moves through the week of activity, international womens day is both celebration and call to action — a patchwork of small donations, volunteering shifts and public gatherings that together test whether a city’s generosity can yield wider gains.
