In 2021, WOW gathered over 150 grandmothers from across the UK and beyond to discuss anything and everything Grandmotherhood. They were rich and much needed conversations, and so we’re bringing the space back in 2022. Please join us.

Grandchildren come with all the joy and less responsibility - or do they? With sky high childcare fees, an increasing number of single parents needing support and a history that tells us it’s often grandmothers - and not grandfathers - who will look after the grandkids, how do older women prevent themselves becoming trapped as unpaid childminders, and losing the chance to finally put themselves first?

What expectations does society and our own children set for the grandmother role and how difficult do we find it to set boundaries without feeling guilty?

Join this discussion led by WOW Founder and new-ish grandmother of two Jude Kelly, to hear from the frontline of grandmotherhood, the joys and challenges of grandparenting, and what we can learn from each other.

Jude will be joined by grandmothers activist Marai Larasi and businesswoman Sue Lawton.

This session is primarily for grandmothers, but we welcome others to come and hear the discussion, in preparation for being a grandmother for the first time - or to rethink their own attitudes.

Whether you’re having this conversation for the first time, or you came to the brilliant Grandmothers session in March 2021 - join us.

This discussion will take place on Zoom.

This event is part of WOW UK Festival 2022, our week-long digital programme of groundbreaking In Conversations and interactive workshops.

For this year’s festival, we are offering audiences the chance to pay what they can, with tickets for events starting from £1. If you’re able to pay a higher ticket price, your contribution will include a donation to help WOW continue its work fighting for gender equality all year-round.

WOW London’s in person festival takes place at Southbank Centre from 11-13 March. Check out the line-up here.

Jude Kelly is CEO and Founder of The WOW Foundation, which runs WOW - Women of the World Festivals across the globe to celebrate the achievements of women and girls and confront global gender injustice. Starting at London’s Southbank Centre in 2010, where Jude was Artistic Director for 12 years, the festival now takes place in 30 locations across six continents. Jude is also a multi-award winning theatre director and has directed over 200 productions. In 2015 she was awarded a CBE for services to the Arts and throughout her career she has advised Governments on arts, education and social mobility.

Marai Larasi is a Black, African-Caribbean-British feminist advocate, community organiser and consultant who has worked in social justice for over twenty-five years, with a specific focus on ending violence against Black / Global Majority women and girls.

Sue Lawton’s career has taken her all over the world and has focused on the development of women in business. She is a global expert on women entrepreneurs in supply chains, and currently she is Chair World Business Women, maintaining and building on global networks supporting women in business.

She also does her best to be an involved Grandma. She has five grandchildren. Maya (18) and Anika (15) live in Brisbane Australia. Four years ago she moved from Hertfordshire to Stratford Upon Avon so she could be near Jessica (13), Finley (11) and Sebastian (9).