The Hope Brigade North East

Explore the first ever North East edition of The Hope Brigade, WOW - Women of the World’s powerful photography series celebrating extraordinary – and often unsung – women and non-binary people from around the world. 

This special exhibition, created in partnership with S&DR200, features incredible people from across the North East all helping to improve the lives of people in their local communities and beyond – photographed by award-winning local photographer Joanne Coates.

Consisting of 26 striking and inspiring portraits – the same number of miles as the Stockton & Darlington Railway, this free to explore exhibition launches on Friday 6 March at Locomotion before travelling to Newcastle Train Station on 23 March. A smaller version of the exhibition will also be on display in Durham City Centre from 6 March. 

The Hope Brigade now features 150 women and non-binary people across the world from Karachi to Manchester, Athens to Rio. Selected via an open nominations process, the individuals photographed WOW North East have been included based on their work across a variety of areas that reflect the forces shaping gender equality in the region. 

Selected via an open nominations process, the individuals photographed for the exhibition have been included based on their work across a variety of areas that reflect the forces shaping gender equity in the region. Nominees include: dancer, performer and clog-dancing advocate Laura Connolly; activist Heather Wood, who is known for her work in the Women Against Pit Closures movement in the 1980s; inspirational skater and surfer Sam Metcalfe; activist Ann Ming MBE who changed the legal framework for Double Jeopardy; Founder of Boro Doughnut Emi Imai a champion of the doughnut economic model;  Vici Wreford-Sinnott an activist in the field of disability and disability arts; award-winning Chartered Accountant Jordan Groody; Rumana Yasmin Director of Bok Bok Books; charity worker and refugee advocate Susan Mansaray; Rie Pearson founder of Be Kind, No Excuses which helps teenage girls recognise abusive behaviours in intimate relationships; foster carer Eileen; Bollywood Dance Artist Ravinda Cheema; Advanced Wellbeing Practitioner Esther Walton; local dance teacher Teissy Easton; and comedian, writer and poet Kate Fox. 

WOW North East is presented by SDR200 & WOW –Women of the World. The Hope Brigade North East is part of the S&DR200 Legacy programme and is supported by the North East Combined Authority.