A comedy gig in Sheffield celebrated International Women’s Day by fundraising for a playgroup for young mums who feel judged and out of place.
The theme was women supporting each other and organised by the Young Women’s Christian Association.
Diane Offers, CEO of YWCA Yorkshire, said: “Little Blossoms play group feels really inclusive for the mums and the children” and explained how the play group will lose its funding at the end of the month, so the donations mean everything.
International Women’s Day this year saw a variety of events in the city to celebrate women, and on Sunday March 8, at the Heist Brew Co. in Kelham Island, nine female comedians performed to raise money in aid of Little Blossoms Playgroup.
The YWCA Yorkshire (Young Women’s Christian Association) was established in 1855 and operates in over 120 countries to empower women and girls, offering services like housing, education and advocacy.
The evening included eight Yorkshire comedians and headline act, broadcast journalist Liesl Soars. The show was hosted and organised by Nicole Scott, who works for the YWCA, and April Louise.
April described women in comedy as ‘Second class citizens’ as only 25% of comedians on the circuit in the UK are women.
After surviving breast cancer herself, she started comedy to raise money for cancer research, but after finding the love for it, decided to carry on performing
She said: ‘[by doing comedy] I’m just going to raise a bit of money, I’m not going to do race for life – no thank you!’
By day, April works as an events organiser, so that and her loves for comedy went ‘Hand in hand’ and she now runs a social enterprise called ‘Gags for good’ where they teach comedy to help with confidence and mental health.
Tickets to the show were £8, with an option to pay £6, for those who needed a lower price ‘no questions asked’, to make sure the event was accessible to everyone.
The show included women telling stories and jokes about going through life as a woman, sharing important messages as well as well as making the whole room laugh.
