• Super Admin
• 08 Mar, 2026

Women in Liverpool and the wider region continue to inspire us everyday Today is International Women's Day, a chance to celebrate the remarkable women who inspire us everyday on Merseyside and beyond. Events for International Women's Day take place in many countries and celebrating the occasion is still as important as ever. The Liverpool ECHO asked people in Liverpool city centre what woman has inspired them and shaped them into the person they are today. From teachers, to mums and friends, men and women were proud to share anecdotes of the female role models in their lives. Roslin Moglioni, 81, from Wirral, was "proud" as she spoke highly of her late mum, Evelyn Vera Knowles. She said: "My mother lived to be 100 years of age, and she was an absolute inspiration to me. I was so pleased to be her daughter. She was wonderful. "She thought of others, it wasn't just about herself, it was other people. She had a very, very caring nature. And that's what I always remember about her." Evelyn was born on December 12, 1912 and although she died more than 10 years ago, Roslin's memories of her mum are as vivid as ever. She said "it was a privilege" to have such a wonderful mother, adding: "My mum worked in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. And that was a turning point for her, she was a role model." Roslin recently lost someone else who meant a great deal to her, a friend of many years. She said: "A friend of mine called Joan Langton died a couple of days ago, and she was also an inspiration to me. "She was a lovely friend. I'll always remember Joan, and we used to have such wonderful conversations. She'd ring me on a Sunday and I'd ring her on a Wednesday just to keep in touch. It was lovely." Wendy Okolie, 46, is originally from Nigeria but moved to Liverpool in 2005 to be with a friend after her original plan to move to London didn't work out. Now living in Kensington, Wendy credits her sisters as being her biggest inspirations, despite them both living in different countries to her. Wendy said: "I have two sisters and they are both amazing. One of my sisters (Benita Lennon) was in a marriage that wasn't going well and she decided to divorce. "When she did that, she soared high in her career. She is a mum of two children and she raised them all by herself. She is hardworking and so inspiring." Benita is living in Ireland. Wendy highlighted the strength of her family, adding: "My other sister (Adis) is an entrepreneur, she is a 'girlboss'. Sadly, she recently had cancer but she beat it. "She was fighting for about two years and now she has got the all clear. I just love my sisters to bits, they are always there for me." Adis is living in Nigeria. "I see them all the time on WhatsApp and video calls, but not in person as often as I would like. We are all going to Nigeria for a holiday next year. I can't wait." Wendy said her sisters face everything with grace, good attitude and positivity. When struggling with her career path, Wendy recalled everyone around her telling her to "stick with it", while her siblings encouraged her to find a path she truly wanted while offering financial support if needed. Jeannette McLoughlin, 66, who grew up in Old Swan but now lives in Woolton, thanks a former teacher for the successful career she has enjoyed over the years. The former city solicitor at Liverpool City Council said: "Somebody who inspired me at a very early age was a teaching nun at Broughton Hall called Sister Mary Columba. She was my English teacher, she was absolutely inspirational. "She gave me a lifelong love of reading, of theatre and of art. She was a guide for what I wanted to do in terms of my career. I was very keen on languages and English, but she told me I had to 'stretch myself' and do something else." The retired solicitor added: "She actually pushed me into a degree in law, where I then had a lifelong career. Looking back now, I think the guidance was the same for a lot of the girls who went to Broughton Hall at that time." Jeannette has since met up with Sister Mary Columba, coming 10 years into her career as a lawyer. She returned back to school and was grateful to reconnect with her old teacher. She said: "I thanked her for her contribution in what I ended up doing. I retired fairly recently, but I absolutely loved the career that I had." Former head of sport for the Liverpool ECHO, David Prentice, also holds his school teacher in high regard, alongside his mum. He said: "My mum [Laura Prentice] supported me in my desire to try and become a sports journalist and years ago, was always very enthusiastic about what I wanted to do. She nurtured my love of reading from a very young age." The 63-year-old added: "But I also want to give a special mention to my old French teacher, Mrs Manning, who was an absolutely wonderful teacher. "I could be a little bit difficult in school, I accept, but she knew how to handle me really well and basically fostered a love of French, which I still have to this day. My mum undoubtedly inspired me, but Mrs Manning gets a little nod as well." As the saying goes, "a mum's love is unconditional', but for many people, they need their mum equally as much, no matter what age. Jack Jones, 25 is originally from Liverpool but now living in the West Kirby area. He is most inspired by his mum, Gemma Jones, who he described as "always working hard" as his dad would often work away from home. Jack said: "My mum was always making sure we were fed, doing school runs and taking us to rugby games. When we were little it was definitely hard for my mum to work and take care of us at the same time, but she managed. I look up to my mum." Jack's dad worked in sales, so he was regularly up and down the country, and the company he worked for was based in Germany so trips further afield were common too. Jack sees his mum all the time, when he isn't away from home working for the Royal Navy. He said: "I am back for a while now so I will be seeing her loads. It was recently my birthday so we went out for food and she's always watched us playing rugby." International Women's Day takes place on March 8 every year. While the day is now largely aimed at inspiring women across the world and celebrating their achievements, its roots are in movements campaigning for better pay and voting rights. Source: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/remarkable-women-who-inspire-people-33551334