To mark International Women’s Day, The Two Counties Trust, which has nine schools across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, invited 100 students, 20 staff, and more than 30 women from local businesses and institutions to a special event at Derby’s Museum of Making.

Among the guests were representatives from Rolls-Royce, Alstom, JCB, Valliant, the British Army, Derbyshire Fire Service, Derby Theatre, Nottingham Trent University, and University of Derby.

The trust — which runs Ashfield School, Kirkby; Selston High School; Manor Academy, Mansfield Woodhouse; Frederick Gent School, South Normanton; among others — arranged for students to talk to business representatives and staff, hearing about their different roles, experiences, and backgrounds.

It gave the young people an insight into numerous inspiratrional women who they wouldn’t get to talk to on an average day.

Students listened to the guest speakers, Hannah Dines, Paralympian and presenter of Channel 4’s Tokyo Paralympics coverage, and Becky Daykin, a coordinator for Deaf-initely Women, which supports and brings together deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind women.

After the networking lunch, students were treated to an exclusive tour of the Museum of Making, with a focus on how women have contributed to the local area and beyond.

Alongside the celebrations, schools across the trust took part in activities to recognise International Women’s Day.

They included a creative writing competition, exploring this year’s International Women’s Day theme of equity and getting voices heard. The trust is compiling an anthology of the entries and a winner will be announced soon.

There was also an art competition, where students created a piece of work that celebrated a woman who has inspired them personally; special myth-busting assemblies; and the chance to explore inspiratrional women at the start of lessons.

Katrina Kerry, headteacher of Manor Academy, who attended the event, said: “It was a real privilege, both to attend our International Women’s Day as a senior member of staff and also to present the welcoming address to students, staff, and the exceptional guests invited.

“A focus of not just Manor Academy, but the whole trust is to empower our students to lead in the future. The event was an incredibly positive step in the direction of creating the next generation of women in leadership.”

Manor student Jay Miller added: “I found the speeches by such inspirational women working against the expectations of both society and disability inspiring.”