By Eve Bell

I’m writing this on International Women’s Day.

I love this day seeing all the stories about women. Making a mark on their own worlds in their own ways.

I feel so lucky to have been surrounded by remarkable and strong women growing up. And now as I am older, I have women who lift me with their sunshine and their wisdom. And my daughter who is my greatest teacher. Their influence has been one of the greatest gifts in my life.

I’d love to share the story of one of the special women who was a huge part of my childhood.

Who inspired me then and still does today.

My Nana Boardman.

The Woman Who Taught Me Community

She was the epitome of community.

She was the beating heart of our little town. Respected. A little feared. Always in motion.

Everyone knew her. She knew everyone.

But she rarely stopped to chat. She was always on a mission. Off to help someone, to organise something and to make sure things were running as they should.

As a little girl, I’d spot her walking past my road with her wicker basket. I’d peg it after her, desperate to be part of that’s day’s mission.

She collected for charity on Friday nights by going around the local pubs. When I first started sneaking into those same pubs before I was 18, I watched the door like a hawk. The moment she walked in, I’d bolt to the toilets to avoid being caught.

The telling off I would have got, in front of the whole pub, still doesn’t bear thinking about.

Though technically a senior citizen herself, she did the shopping for elderly people who couldn’t manage on their own. She ran coffee mornings, organised outings and volunteered for so many clubs and committees.

She operated with a sharpness and a give-no-f***s attitude that I still aspire to develop as I age.

The Legacy She Left

What I learned from trailing after Nana Boardman was the profound power of community. The magic of belonging. The deep fulfillment that comes from helping others.

That sense of genuine community feels increasingly rare in today’s world. But she planted it in me, and I’ve carried it ever since.

Her influence wasn’t about big speeches or wise words. It was in the way she lived. She never sought approval. She never waited to be asked. She just did the work that needed doing.

She showed me that a life well lived isn’t about recognition. It’s about impact.

Honouring Our Influential Women

Today, I want to fill this space with women like her.

I’ve love to hear about a woman who shaped you. A woman whose presence you can still feel. A woman whose strength, love and fire lit something in you.

Drop her name in the comments. Share her story.

Let’s make today about them.

The women who showed us who we could become.

P.S. A feather floated into the library as I was writing this, landing right on my desk. Of course it did. She’s here. She always is.