“I CANNOT PUT INTO WORDS THE MAGIC THAT MAKES THE CIRCLE WHAT IT IS, BUT I DO KNOW THIS – WHEN WOMEN COME TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE AMAZING THINGS HAPPEN AND TOGETHER WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THE WORLD.”
Leanne is the Chair of The Oxford Circle.
Tell us a little about yourself:
I’m Australian and moved to the UK 6 years ago with my husband and two sons. I have lived in various places in Oz (including a year on a island on the Great Barrier Reef), America (the year Trump was voted in, the sheer horror!) and the UK. My background is in fashion, digital media and technology, but after moving to the UK I returned to studying and am now in my final year of a BSc (Hons) Psychology. I’m also Chair of The Oxford Circle and founder of Happy Larder Co, which sells a range of ethically and sustainably sourced loose leaf teas. 100% of Happy Larder Co’s profits go to support female survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking with 20% of our Chai sales going towards The Circle.
I’m curious by nature, a self-confessed chatter box, and love a good challenge. I’ve trekked Peru, the Great Wall of China, and Mount Kilimanjaro for charity, and for the last four years my friend Jane and I have been doing 100km ultra challenges. This year we are completing another 100k challenge to raise money for The Oxford Circle. We aim to complete this one in under 25 hours, which is a big change from last years 35 hours. Watch this space…..!
Why did you decide to become a member of The Circle?
Serendipity. In 2018 I purchased a ticket for an a talk on domestic violence via Eventbrite. Paying little attention, I had no clue that it was an event for The Circle or that it was actually for the previous month! The Circle’s wonderful Relationship Manager Peta Barrett called to let me know and we ended up talking for ages about The Circle and the amazing work they do supporting disempowered women. I loved Peta and the whole ethos of The Circle and signed up on the spot.
Since then I have met such an amazing group of women, some of which have become lifelong friends. The Circle members bring such passion and diverse skills to the mix and the variety of events and initiatives that have come out of that has been amazing.
Are there any of The Circle’s projects that are particularly close to your heart and can you tell us a bit more about your involvement?
All of them! The Oxford Circle supports the Nonceba Centre in South Africa, which supports victims of domestic violence and trafficking. ACT Alberta, which is supported by The Calgary Circle, also work with victims of trafficking. I can’t imagine having someone take away my freedom and subject me to the level of trauma these women have experienced. I think the work that all of The Circle’s projects is doing is incredible but it saddens me that they have exist in the first place. With The Circle, I love that we can do something tangible to help women less fortunate than us.
What does Global Feminism mean to you?
Audre Lorde said it perfectly when she said “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” I believe we all have an obligation to speak up against inequality and injustice, and to help amplify the voices of those less fortunate than us. The liberties we experience today are the result of those who have fought before us. We owe it to women all around the world and to future generations who will look back on the things we do today and the battles we fight and thank us for it.
How have you used your professional skills or knowledge as a member of The Circle?
I have to say, The Circle members are so inspiring that sometimes I feel like my skill set is completely lacking in comparison! However, it’s important to remember that we all have important skills to bring to the mix. I think BIG and I love taking on a challenge, which the poor Oxford Circle committee have had to get used to. We’re running 20 events in 2020 and I couldn’t have done it without them. Amy and Hannah are amazing event planners and Sue is such a depth of knowledge and kindness. I’m no good at getting things done on my own and that’s what’s I love about The Circle. You can have an idea and before you know it there’s a group of women wanting to help make it happen. A perfect example of this is late last year we ran an Active Bystander Training Workshop in collaboration with Active Bystander. Su is a member of The Circle and had kindly offered for her and Scott to run a workshop and raise money for The Circle. A few interested members pulled together and we managed to find a corporate sponsor, Adobe, who not only provided the venue but also very kindly put on a selection of food and wine. The event was a huge success. Another example is Jumble Fever happening in Oxford Town Hall on Saturday 18 January. Claire, one of The Circle’s Trustees, started this event last year and it has already grown to a much larger venue with an incredible list of people helping to run it, collect goods for sale, model the clothes, take photographs, and promote the event. We’ve got local DJ’s and bands on the day and some amazing raffle prizes and items for sale donated by Annie Lennox and Colin Firth.
I cannot put into words the magic that makes The Circle what it is, but I do know this – when women come together we can make amazing things happen and together we have the power to change the world.
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