It’s just us girls

THIS TIME last year, life was very difficult for Julie Young.

The 42-year-old single mother was dangerously ill with collapsed kidneys, had no self-worth and was struggling to survive on benefits.

But only 12 months on she has a job she loves, self-confidence in spades and feels ten times better.

Julie, who lives in York, credits her change of heart to a women's conference she attended at Askham Bryan College last year.

Organised by Global, the annual conference aims to empower women, boost their confidence and help them succeed in business, relationships, health and fitness.

In Julie's case, it helped her take the steps to turn her life around.

"My life has changed completely," she says. "I was just living from day to day and I didn't have a life, really; my life revolved around being poorly and looking after the kids, but now I've got a job and I've kept up with everything.

"Now I work as a care assistant and I really enjoy it.

"I won a makeover as part of the conference and I've kept up with everything I had on that, which has made me feel a lot better about myself.

"I don't wear tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt any more."

Not everyone sees such miraculous results from attending Just Women, which will take place on National Women's Day, March 8. But that's the point, says organiser and York midwife Shelley Shore - it's about having fun with the girls as well.

Shelley, 43, who runs the labour ward at York Hospital, says the conference has doubled in size each year since it began in 2005. Eventually, Global wants to run similar events around the country.

"Women just love being together and having a day to themselves to think about girly things," said Shelley.

"For the first two years it was essentially a Christian woman's conference, but we felt that alienated some women so we dropped that last year to make it more inclusive.

"When you get women together, there's a real empowerment and a real sense of strength. We have lots of fun but there's nothing spiritual, which we feel has opened it up. It helps women to be the best that they can be."

There will be workshops on improving confidence, building relationships, succeeding in business, women through history and improving diet and fitness, while speakers Lisa Clifford and Shelley's husband, Dave Shore, will give talks.

Shelley, of Acomb, will MC the event and perform stand-up comedy, and there will be music and lunch, too.

As a midwife, Shelley says she understands the challenges faced by modern women.

"I understand what it takes a woman to keep her going," she says. "I have three children and I work. My husband is a businessman, so he's extremely busy, and I run a home. You have to juggle everything. That leaves women with little time to think about themselves.

"I see thousands of women come through my hands at the hospital and I see lots of different types of women, but some have made more sense of their lives than others.

"Women are different. Their circumstances are different, their dreams, their opportunities. The best a woman can be is different.

"Just Women helps give women those tools to realise that and a sense of achievement and the confidence to live with their own skin. It gives them confidence and a belief that they can change their own world. To me, that's what I hope they go away with.

"My passion is to see women be the best that they can be, given their circumstances, and that's the sole reason for doing the conference."

* Just Women 2008 will take place on Saturday, March 8, between 10am and 4pm at Askham Bryan Conference Centre. Tickets cost £20 and include lunch and refreshments. For more information or to request a booking/nomination form, visit globalyork.com/justwomen or phone 0800 019 3922.

* Do you know a woman going to the conference who could do with a makeover? Fenwicks, in Coppergate, is offering top-to-toe makeovers to two women, including hair, make up and an outfit. Nominations must be received by February 15 and nominees must be available on Tuesday, March 4.