Swindon & Wiltshire’s Most Inspiring Women 2025| Nicky Alberry
To mark International Women’s Day 2025, 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 Nicky Alberry, Chair of Society Without Abuse.
Tell us more about you and your work
Originally a Devon girl, my working life started at HSBC in 1979, where I worked across corporate and retail arms to become the first female manager in Cornwall. A 12 month secondment to GWE (now Business West) brought me to Swindon – and the rest is history!
Over the last 30 years of my career I’ve held various roles, including CEO, Executive Chair and Non-executive Director for GWE / Business West, and my career has morphed into working across the public / private partnership space – I’ve chaired Boards, led charities and partnerships as well as worked across central Europe on entrepreneurship programmes.
In 2006 I became a Deputy Lieutenant, followed by becoming High Sheriff of Wiltshire for 2018-19. In that year I focused my work as High Sheriff on raising awareness of domestic abuse in the county.
It was also the year I become Chair of Society Without Abuse WA, which works across Swindon, Wiltshire and BANES to halt domestic abuse through early intervention, prevention and education. The more we talk openly about domestic abuse, the more we can get people help earlier in the cycle and stop abuse happening.
International Women’s Day in 2024 saw the launch of the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Group for Wiltshire. Led by Lady Lansdowne, the group is now an Independent Advisory Group supporting Wiltshire Police in its policy development, and feeding into how VAWG victims are supported, and supporting the development of prevention programmes.
Outside of a busy working life, I’m married to Pete and am Nanny Nick to two 8-year old grandsons – plus three border collies keep me fit!
What are you most proud of?
I am proud of the way that people come together in Wiltshire to make a difference. EVAWG is a great example of how collaboration and commitment from an amazing group of people is really making a difference to tackling domestic abuse in Wiltshire.
EVAWG Wiltshire is an amazing group of inspiring women, plus one man, and for all of us it’s a great honour that the work we are doing is being recognised and more importantly talked about – just last week we were visited by Her Majesty The Queen.
I was also so proud to be asked to be a DL, and then it was very humbling to be given the honour of being a High Sheriff. I was only the 10th female High Sheriff in Wiltshire in history and I was following in the footsteps of some amazing people. Achievements that I always felt were ‘not bad’ for a Devon girl!
Finally, I’m so proud of my grandsons – who I love dearly and I think will grow up to be wonderful young men and hopefully great role models.
How does it feel to be recognised as one of Swindon & Wiltshire’s Most Inspiring Women?
Swindon and Wiltshire has so many inspiring women and it’s a privilege to join their ranks. Being part of EVAWG Wiltshire, as well as Society Without Abuse, brings me into regular contact with women in the county who inspire me personally and spark the determination to continue making a difference for those affected by domestic abuse. I feel very lucky to know them and to work with them.
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
It’s a day that we can really focus on and celebrate all that women do and contribute to society across the world. It’s an important opportunity to highlight the issues and inequalities that still exist in 2025. According to the World Economic Forum it will be 2158 before gender parity is reached – 133 years time!! This has increased by 40 years since their prediction in 2019 of 2118!!
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is #AccelerateAction. Where would you like to see change fast when it comes to equality?
I’d like to see more resources to tackle domestic abuse. There needs to be serious investment and commitment from government to tackle this gender-based crime as well as society coming together to raise awareness. Work needs to start in our schools and continue all through to the work place in order to start seeing an end to the issue, as well as bolstering public services and funding for support agencies working in the sector. It is unacceptable in 2025 that we mourn 95 women killed in the last 12 months by their partner. Change has to happen FAST.
What piece of advice would you share with your younger self?
Believe in yourself more. Be prepared and have the confidence to be able to change paths you can do it.
To find out more about Society Without Abuse visit: www.societywithoutabuse.org.uk
This feature is sponsored by Unividual – Financial Planners for unique individuals. Cherie-Anne Baxter-Blyth, Strategy & Marketing Director at Unividual, said, “We’re supporting the TBE Swindon & Wiltshire Most Inspiring Women list 2025 as we want to help celebrate some of the unsung heroes in our community that deserve both praise and recognition.”
