International Women’s Day: BFBS Radio To Celebrate Inspirational Military Ladies

International Women’s Day this year falls on Sunday and, for the first time, BFBS Radio will celebrate with an all-female presenter line up on air.

BFBS, the forces station, will feature stories of inspirational women who have served in the armed forces and who are currently serving.

Women like Sergeant ‘Kempy’ Kemp, the British Army physical training instructor who mentored and coached female footballers in Afghanistan and Joy Lofthouse, a female Spitfire pilot with the Air Transport Auxiliary who were trailblazers for equality in aviation during the Second World War.

International Women’s Day has been celebrated for more than a century. The first dedicated day in 1911 saw pioneering women demonstrate and demand the right to vote and for equality in the workplace.

Wherever you are in the armed forces world, join us from 3am UK time, right through until 9pm UK time for our all-female line-up:

0300-0600 UKT: Ops Breakfast with Jess Bracey 

0600-1000 UKT: Sunday Breakfast with Vicki Turner 

1000-1300 UKT: Access All Areas with Akylah Rodriguez  

1300-1500 UKT: Forces Life with Fiona Cameron 

1500-1900 UKT: BFBS Play with Amy Casey 

1900-2100 UKT: Rachael Price

Throughout the day, our presenters will highlight some of the remarkable achievements by inspiring women in the armed forces.

Women like Olivia Smith, founder and CEO of contemporary jewellery company Olivia & Pearl, who reached out to a charity Veterans Gateway after following her husband for many years over the course of his career in the Royal Marines. She had a niggling idea about a business and with a little help from Veterans Gateway, brought the idea to life.

You’ll also hear from ‘walking morale boost’ RAF Brize Norton Unit Scripture Reader Meg Atkinson who talks about the changes she has seen in terms of opportunities for women in the Royal Air Force over the past 50 years and Air Marshal Sue Gray, whose extensive military career has seen her promoted to the rank of Air Marshal, making her the most senior female military officer in the British Armed Forces.