A number of prominent women have links with Worthing, and here are just some of them.
International Women’s Day (IWD) has occurred for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in 1911 supported by more than a million people. Today, IWD belongs to all groups collectively everywhere – it is not country, group or organisation-specific.
The theme for 2023 is #EmbraceEquity. The IWD website says: “For International Women's Day and beyond, let's all fully #EmbraceEquity. Equity isn't just a nice-to-have, it's a must-have. A focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society's DNA. And it's critical to understand the difference between equity and equality.
“The aim of the IWD 2023 #EmbraceEquity campaign theme is to get the world talking about why equal opportunities aren't enough. People start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action. Read more about this here. All IWD activity is valid, that's what makes IWD inclusive. So give equity a huge embrace.”
1. Jane Austen
Author Jane Austen spent the autumn of 1805 at Stanford Cottage in Worthing, now Pizza Express. The setting and characters for her unfinished novel Sanditon are thought to be based on her experiences of the town. Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
2. Alison Lapper
Alison Lapper MBE is an artist who lives in the Worthing area. She has a first-class honours degree in fine art from the University of Brighton, which also awarded her an honorary doctorate in 2014. She was the subject of Marc Quinn's sculpture 'Alison Lapper Pregnant', which was displayed on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square from September, 2005, until 2007. Photo: Derek Martin/Sussex World
3. Gwendoline Christie
Actress Gwendoline Christie was born in Worthing and grew up near the South Downs. Perhaps best known for playing Brienne of Tarth in Game of Thrones, she has also appeared in two Star Wars films and as Lucifer in Sandman by Neil Gaiman. Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Christian Dior
4. Alma Cogan
The 1950s recording artist Alma Cogan lived with her parents above their shop in Warwick Street, Worthing, then moved to a large house on the corner of Lansdowne Road and Downview Road in West Worthing. She is pictured here with Lionel Blair, who unveiled a blue plaque in her memory in 2017. One of the biggest stars of the pre-rock era, she sadly died of ovarian cancer aged 34 in October 1966. Photo: Contributed