To mark International Women’s Day 2026, we’re celebrating Swindon & Wiltshire’s most inspiring women.
Through our website and social media channels, we asked our readers which women in our community inspire them and created a list of 20. The list will be featured in our Spring magazine and every weekday throughout March we are profiling and championing each of these fantastic women online and via our social feeds.
Today we put the spotlight on Sue Webber, Trustee at Wiltshire & Swindon Community Foundation.
Tell us about you and your work…
I’m retired now, but I’ve spent around 60 years working with community groups and voluntary organisations, both as a volunteer and as a paid worker. It’s been quite a journey.
Back in the 1960s, I worked with the Child Poverty Action Group and took part in projects decorating older people’s flats.
In the 1970s, I got involved in Eastcott Community Council, researched local needs, secured funding and helped set up the Wiltshire Law Centre, which I later chaired for five years. I was also a trustee of Thamesdown Voluntary Service Centre (now Voluntary Action Swindon) and delivered welfare rights training.
The 1980s were all about developing community work training for volunteers and workers in Swindon. I also ran a project that helped voluntary organisations create their own self-evaluation techniques so they could learn, improve and demonstrate the difference they make.
In the 1990s, I taught more than 400 voluntary sector managers across the South West in leadership and management through The Open University, including work in South Africa and Zimbabwe. I also created training for mental health service users and domestic abuse survivors, supporting them to train professionals using their lived experience.
During the 2000s, I spent ten years as a Non-Executive Director for Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust, finishing as Acting Chair for a year. I also delivered training programmes for staff and trustees covering strategy, business planning, governance, meeting skills, evaluation, team building, supervision, appraisal and more.
What are you most proud of?
Supporting people to become involved and to gain skills, confidence and pride through their work in the community. Seeing people change and develop across Swindon, Wiltshire and South of England.
How does it feel to be recognised as one of Swindon & Wiltshire’s Most Inspiring Women?
Daunting! It’s not something I ever expected, but it feels good that a lifetime of commitment is recognised.
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
International Women’s Day, to me, is about recognising that women at every stage of life deserve to be seen, listened to and taken seriously. It highlights the need for women’s ideas, experiences and contributions to be valued rather than ignored or talked over.
It’s also a reminder of the importance of equity – making sure women and girls have fair opportunities in life, including equal access to jobs and promotions.
And importantly, it’s about women being able to live without violence, victimisation or fear. Feeling safe in public space and knowing that domestic abuse will be recognised quickly and dealt with properly by all institutions, is essential.
That’s what International Women’s Day means to me: visibility, fairness and safety for every woman and girl.
This year’s IWD theme asks us to think about how giving benefits everyone. What’s an example from your work or community life where supporting another woman led to something meaningful in return?
Throughout my life, working alongside other women has always been a two-way exchange – you give your experience, and in return you gain new knowledge, skills and perspectives.
For example, in the 1980s I worked on Equal Opportunities with the then Race Equality Officer, Rajwant Bains. I contributed to the design of training, and in return learned an enormous amount about the realities of prejudice and institutional racism. It was a powerful reminder that giving and supporting others always comes back as growth of your own.
What piece of advice would you share with your younger self?
Learn to speak coherently and confidently in meetings, particularly without blushing, so that you can be less nervous and make yourself heard.
This feature is sponsored by Goughs Solicitors. The team at Goughs believe in championing ambition, celebrating achievement and creating opportunities for women to connect, lead and thrive.
