Celebrated annually, March 8, is a day dedicated to honouring the achievements of women around the world and raising awareness of gender bias. Known as International Women’s Day, people come together to celebrate women, lobby for gender equality and fundraise for female-focused charities. Women in Ayrshire, both past and present, have been succeeding in their fields for many years. Here are some of the best to celebrate this International Women’s Day:
Nicola Benedetti Born in West Kilbride, Nicola Benedetti has taken her classical violin skills across the globe, picking up prestigious awards along the way. The musician’s recording of Wynton Marsalis’ Violin Concerto and Fiddle Dance Suite won her a Grammy for Best Classical Instrumental Solo last year.
1. Daniela Nardini Born 1968, Largs. Daniela, part of the family famed for their ice cream parlour in her home town, shot to fame in the late 90s drama This Life. She played lawyer Anna in the BBC 2 show, which captured the Cool Britannia ethos with lots of wild parties, casual sex and drug taking. It soon became a word-of-mouth hit and Daniela starred in 32 episodes over two series.
2. Kirsty Wark Born 1955, Dumfries. Kirsty was educated at Kilmarnock Grammar Primary before attending Ayr’s Wellington School. Starting at the BBC in 1976 she soon became a radio producer before moving into TV. Before long she was fronting Reporting Scotland and she has been one of the leading lights of Newsnight since 1993 as well as a host of other shows.