International Women’s Day – Our staff stories

Zena Skinner / Submitted by Marina Barnett

I met Zena when she married our close friend Keith. Keith was a firearms police officer and Zena a housing association manager.

Over the years we have enjoyed watching our children growing up, marrying and the joys of becoming grandparents. Both Zena and Keith retired early planning to travel and take on new projects.

Within 2 months of retirement their dreams and plans were cast aside as Zena was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she underwent lots of treatment and major surgery and a year later was told that she was in complete remission.

Sadly, the remission was short lived and within 4 weeks Zena’s cancer had returned with vengeance, Zena never gave up hope, always had a cheery smile and continued to look at the positives in life.

I spent lots of time with her at home, she never felt sorry for herself and spoke honestly and openly about her life and how fortunate she had been albeit that it was certain her life would be cut short at 59 years of age.

She urged me to look after myself and at the same time enjoy life to the full, take joy in the simple everyday things and never take anything for granted.

​​​Zena passed away 6 weeks later.

Cynthia Jackson, affectionately known as “Grandma Cynty” / Submitted by Simon Walton   

When considering the impact that women have had on my life, I need look no further than my immediate family.

I have been fortunate in my lifetime to have received the love and care from one Great Grandma and two Grandmas – one of whom is still with us at the age of 86. My mother is, and always has been, a guiding influence in my life and now in my children’s lives. I am also married to a wonderful woman and have two daughters. I am surrounded by women, all of whom inspire me every day.

My Grandma (Great Grandma to my children), is and always has been a source of love and encouragement. From a young age she, and my late Grandpa, would spend time with me and
my sisters teaching us valuable life lessons and teaching us new skills through fun activities like card games, board games, sport, gardening and cooking. My Grandma was evacuated during the War and has told us some unbelievable stories about what happened during that period of her life. In my lifetime, she has had to deal with the death of her older brother from Motor Neuron disease when he was still in his 60s, and – more recently – the death of my Grandpa and her younger brother – again at a young age from cancer.
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Despite these setbacks, my Grandma always has a positive outlook on life, always focusing on the good things, mainly her five grandchildren and eight Great Grandchildren. The life and soul of any occasion, Grandma never fails to amaze us – and everyone she meets – with her energy and love for life. Long may it continue!

Deborah Vivanti-Gough / Submitted by Jo Kelly   

My inspirational woman is Deborah Vivanti-Gough, project director at Saracens Rugby Club.

I’ve worked with Deborah for over 20 years, and I think she’s an inspiration to women as she broke down barriers from the start of her career.

She was also, when I was starting off in my career, my female role model.

Deborah is a chartered quantity surveyor in the construction industry. She started off her career
working for a contractor and would have to go to construction sites on a weekly basis. I can imagine she has a few stories to tell from those days, but it can’t have been an easy ride being a woman on a construction site over 20 years ago!

Deborah is a straight talker and doesn’t suffer fools. She’s incredibly hard working and is one of the best project managers/development directors I’ve worked with over the years.

When I first arrived in London back in 2001, she was one of the first clients I met, and she was a huge support to me.  She was at that time one of my only female clients and she gave me the inspiration to see that I could make it.  As they say, “if you can’t see it then you can’t be it” and Deborah was someone I could see making it!
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This is my small thank you to Deborah.

Genevieve Wark / Submitted by Tristan Wark 

My younger sister Gen had her first child when she was a teenager.

By aged 22 she was a single mother with two young children living in a Council house. Despite the challenges she was determined to still have a career – she studied part time (usually at night when her children were asleep) to get a degree. She followed that up post graduate study to qualify as a social worker.

​​Now in her early thirties she has 3 wonderful children, works full time as a social worker protecting children in need in her community, and became the first member of our family to run for political office when she stood as a local councillor in 2022. Her endless energy, drive and ambition when some would have written her off as a teenager continues to inspire me.

Katherine “Minnie” Brickman / Submitted by Nicola Kravitz    

Katherine ‘Minnie’ Brickman was born in Stepney, London on December 16th, 1913, to Hyman and Rose Brickman from Sienno, Poland. They were fortunate. Not all of Minnie’s family were so fortunate including Minnie’s Uncle Yerachmiel, Aunt Yita and cousin Toba who were murdered in the Holocaust. Minnie did not discuss this with her grandchildren.

Minnie’s family were successful, including buying property in and around Harley Street. Minnie’s mother Rose passed away in 1920 when she was 7 and her father re-married and she had a poor relationship with her stepmother. When discussing this period of her life, Minnie would talk about how lucky she was to have 6 older brothers who spoiled her.

Minnie married Solomon “Sonny” Kravitz in 1936 and she moved to Manchester. Their first son, David, was born in 1939. Tragedy struck again in around 1941 and Sonny developed brain cancer. Minnie used her inheritance to pay for experimental chemotherapy. This meant that Sonny survived until 1958, leaving her a widow at 45 with 2 boys of 18 and 13. During his long illness, Minnie had also had to take over and run the family’s chain of shoe shops, which she did very successfully.

When Minnie passed away in March 2004 leaving 2 sons, 5 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren, it was only then that her grandchildren looked back at her life and understood her legacy. She had persuaded them all that she was blessed because she had such a loving family, and this inspired them to be grateful for what they have.

Hina Morzeria  / Submitted by Priya Morzeria      

My mum, Hina, was born in Mumbai in 1960 and is the eldest of four. She was brought
up in Kampala, Uganda and describes her childhood as carefree, loving and adventurous. Her idyllic childhood came to a very sudden end when a brutal army regime came to power, led by Idi Amin who was known as the ‘butcher of Uganda’ for his inhumane and oppressive rule. In August 1972, he announced the expulsion of all Asians from Uganda within 90 days. My mum was 12 years old when she came to the UK as a refugee with her parents and siblings to start a new life, leaving behind their home and a successful business (they were only allowed to leave with one suitcase!

The family settled in Leicester after a year and mum recalls finding it hard to adjust and being bullied, but they persevered. This was despite her mother suffering renal failure when mum was doing her A-levels, which was a devastating shock for the family. As the eldest, she took responsibility for supporting her mum throughout her illness including dialysis and other complications. My mum was the first in her family to go to university and achieved a degree in Economics and went on to do a post graduate course. Mum started her career as a social worker and alter became an inspector with the Care Quality Commission, inspecting children’s homes as well as elderly persons care homes.
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My mum is from the ‘sandwiched’ generation that had to balance the traditional expectations her parents and in-laws had whilst fitting in with western society. She overcame multiple challenges from a young age and is an inspiration for many reasons; she has taught me that with a positive and ‘can do’ attitude, life’s challenges can be overcome. I admire her resilience and patience above everything else and she provided a safe, secure and loving home for my brother and I growing up. I’m very lucky to have her as my role model in life!

Nidhal Kamaladin / Submitted by Fayruz Cahill

My late mother Nidhal Kamaladin was born in Baghdad Iraq in 1951 and was raised in a traditional conservative family but was a vocal feminist and activist from a young age. She refused to conform to societal pressure and resisted all pressure to settle down and get married until she had finished her university education as it was really important to her that she should have a career and maintain her own financial independence and not be reliant on a husband.  

She studied engineering at university and was the only female student in her class. She successfully campaigned the university to change the strict dress code for women to allow female students to wear trousers – considered very ‘western’ and immodest in those times. She went on to qualify and work as an irrigation engineer and was one of very few women in a male dominated industry.

When my mother got married, she refused to accept a dowry, this was considered scandalous at the time as it was (and still continues to be in most Muslim countries) a standard part of the marriage contract. She was vehemently opposed to it on principle and refused to be ‘bought’ like chattel even if it was only symbolic. In 1970s Baghdad this was unheard of, but she was determined to stand her ground.

When Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime came to power in 1979, my parents had to flee the country overnight with a small baby taking only what they could carry in a suitcase. They emigrated to Libya and while my father was able to continue his career as an electrical engineer, the lack of any childcare provisions for working mothers and open discrimination against working women in general, and more particularly in a heavily male dominated field like engineering forced mum out of work for the majority of the 10 years my family were in Libya.

When my parents arrived in London in 1990 with 3 young children, my mother had been out of work in her field for too long to be able to get back into it and had to reluctantly let go of her career aspirations.  However, she was always determined to develop new skills and knowledge and studied bookkeeping and accounting amongst other things and worked in various jobs from babysitting to retail sales jobs to earn her own income and feel like she was a contributing member of society.

My enduring memory of my mother is that she was always laughing and maintained her positivity and sense of humour throughout her life and all the various hardships she endured. She was a hugely positive influence on all 3 of her daughters and inspired us to value our independence and work hard for our ambitions and dreams.