Hounslow women celebrated at special breakfast reception

Seema Malhotra, Labour MP for Feltham & Heston, discusses the launch of the inaugural Hounslow International Women’s Day breakfast, the introduction of a new borough-wide women’s conference, and the government’s strategies for workplace equality in this week’s column.

Last week I was proud, alongside Ruth Cadbury MP, to cohost the first Hounslow International Women’s Day breakfast. The event at Holy Trinity Church saw around 200 women attending of all ages and backgrounds who came together in celebration of the women and girls of Hounslow.

The event has been the result of work over the last six months with community volunteers and local women leaders. I want to thank our brilliant young compères Alexis Isa and Faith Lamptey – who juggled preparation for the event alongside their schoolwork. And also, Jane and Tony Fredjohn from the Feltham History Group with whom we began working last August, and our digital lead Rhema Acheampong-Owusu who designed our t-shirts and led our digital team all alongside studying for an apprenticeship. Thank you to our Mayor Cllr Amy Croft, our councillors and business leaders who played a part, Hounslow’s Heart BID and all our sponsors including local companies Crispy Dosa, Kool Cakes and Right at Home.

I have always been passionate about women’s opportunity, empowerment, progress and recognition. We walk in the footsteps of our mothers and our grandmothers - the women who are all too often the unsung heroes in our families and in our lives. This what inspired the event for us all, to be about the contribution of women and girls, and where we can go further together in ensuring greater social and economic progress. The event was opened by local poet Shibra Khan with a poem written specially for International Women’s Day.

International Women’s Day has become an important milestone which celebrates the achievements of women, promotes gender equality and acts as a call to action.

Earlier this month I spoke in Parliament about some of our pioneers - women who smashed the glass ceiling in Parliament too and paved the way for us today. I was the 366th woman ever elected to the House of Commons in its history, and the first woman ever elected as MP for Feltham and Heston where I grew up.

And as we speak about the agenda of women’s progress, we remind ourselves that whilst we have made progress, men and women are still not equal. Not equal at home. Not equal abroad.

I serve in government as the minister for the Indo- Pacific, and as a minister for Equalities.

And I see firsthand our commitment to tackle gender inequality. From strengthening rights for women in work and reducing the gender pay gap, to halving VAWG.

Labour’s groundbreaking Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy begins a decade-long whole-of-government, whole-of-society effort to halve VAWG.

Labour is working to prioritise women’s health with a refreshed Women’s Health Strategy to be published soon.

Our plans to Make Work Pay, are putting in stronger protections for pregnant women and new mothers at work and tackling maternity inequality. We’re reviewing parental leave and making flexible working more easily available.

Earlier in March I was proud to launch Employer Voluntary Action Plans as part of the Employment Rights Act alongside Secretary of State Bridget Phillipson. Through their action plans, large employers will show how they will reduce their gender pay gaps and support employees going through the menopause. We are working with business leaders, civil society and trade unions, because we cannot reach workplace equality without the support of all.

On business, the chancellor has backed the Invest in Women Taskforce, to support women led business. And the government is supporting more women in the UK’s tech sector. Men outnumber women 4 to 1 in computer science degrees. At the current pace, it will take 283 years for women to achieve equal representation in tech! That is why we launched the Women in Tech Taskforce to champion diversity in the UK tech sector, with a pipeline strengthened by stronger engagement with tech in the classroom.

These are areas in which our economy will grow significantly, and we need a plan for women to be a part of it. Every day, women and girls across the UK challenge the stereotypes so often thrown upon them. But they are our scientists, teachers, business leaders, astronauts, and so much more. There is nowhere women and girls should not be able to reach.

The theme for this year’s IWD is ‘Give to Gain’ the aim of which is to ‘emphasise power of reciprocity and support” such as through mentoring or advocacy. Building new networks in our communities, to bring hope, leadership and change, will give us a renewed progress for the future.

That’s why we also held the first Hounslow International Women’s Day MP Awards. We received 40 nominations from across the community of women and girls doing amazing work in our borough, making a difference to the lives of others. We were so pleased to recognise the nominees on the day, and to highlight the 10 women who our independent panel of judges recognised as highly commended or who received the Judges Special Award. At the breakfast we also announced our half day Hounslow Women’s Conference to be held on Saturday September 19th 2026.

This month is more than about reflection. It is about maintaining momentum as we continue to fight for a better world for women and girls everywhere. Seema Malhotra MP, Ruth Cadbury MP and Mayor Cllr Amy Croft with some of the award winners Local poet Shibra Khan opened the reception with a poem written specifically for the event
The Sacred Geometry of Dough

We have learned to clench the fist first

Rotating the wrist comes later

Push, angle, fold, repeat

The ache migrates

Air trapped, dough tightening

Knuckles at work, surface smoothing

To stretch the grains into a pliable body

Released.


We did learn to unfurl our fingers

Not to bruise the air, but to stretch

Slowly, levelling the knots

A recurring of the body and mind.

Stretching is an old tradition

A lineage passed down in the steam of the kitchen

Not all fingers at once though

If the hand is flung open too fast

It leaves only a ghost of a print

And nothing is passed down but the shock of it.


The slow rising

The expansion without rupture

Makes room without the collapse of it

A small map in my hand

Becoming rounder with each flip

Hands hovering above flame

Heat lifts the puff, the breath of the chapatti

To feed more than one generation. Those nominated and receiving the Hounslow International Women’s Day MPs’ Award

Abhnash Bhaines

Adamya Raj

Aisha Farah

Angela Parton

Anju Narang

Anna Pawlos

Archana Dixit

Astrid Edwards

Bridget Osborne

Chinyere Ugwu

Christiana Wuche

Danya Anshoor

Darshan Sandhu

Dr Renu Raj

Hibo Mohamoud

Janette Odey

Kadime Jata

Kathleen Mitra

Khadra Badal

Leanne Murray

Lisa Graham

Lorraine Corso

Mabel Acheampong-Owusu

Macy Ward

Malwina Kukaj

Maria Saroya

Maryam Umer

Minreet Kaur

Narpinder Mann BEM

Nevin Sunderji

Rakhi Sood

Saida Khan

Salma Ullah

Sayeed Ashraf

Sharnjeet Bhalla

Shelley Dunsby

Swatantra Bala Kad

Vickii Knight

Warda Mohamed

Those receiving the Judges Special Award

Hibo Mohamoud – for her generous giving of time building inclusive spaces where women and young people feel heard and supported, assisting residents to navigate complex systems and establishing community groups.

Kadime Jata – for her longstanding and tireless advocacy for some of the most vulnerable women as Director of SFIDA (a community organization working with the Kosovan, Albanian, Gorani and Macedonian community).

Lisa Graham – for creating a safe, empowering environment for women and children at Hounslow Swim Club, as well as the support she offers beyond the pool.

Macy Ward – for her work supporting local schools and encouraging young people to make good choices around peer pressure, knife crime, mental health and relationships.

Narpinder Mann BEM – for supporting vulnerable women and those in crisis with compassion, dignity and unwavering commitment for over 20 years as Director of United Sikhs.

Highly Commended Ahlam Wynne – for her exceptional clinical leadership, innovation and lifelong commitment to improving stroke care.

Anna Pawlos and Malwina Kukaj – for being visible examples of strength, resilience and compassion in the community and for their work at the Polish Clan Association.

Astrid Edwards and Danya Anshoor – for their determination and compassion in supporting mothers and families affected by issues connected to youth violence in Hounslow through Action Isleworth Mothers (AIM).

Minreet Kaur – for creating an environment at Asian Women Run where women feel seen, supported and strong – physically and emotionally.

SHEWISE (Salma Ulah, Saida Khan and Sayeeda Ashraf) – for their work helping women move away from fear, trauma and isolation and towards connection, belonging and self-worth.