Women in the Shade to host third national conference in Birmingham

Taking place on Thursday 29 January 2026, Deeds Not Words, is the theme of this year’s Women in the Shade conference, reflecting a shared determination to move beyond statements of intent and focus on meaningful, measurable action that supports Black women working in uniformed services.

Marcia Ore and I are the co-founders of Women in the Shade. We are two former police officers who bring decades of professional experience and lived insight from within uniformed services. We understand first-hand the contribution Black women make to policing and other uniformed roles. We also recognise the systemic barriers that continue to shape their professional journeys.

Our motivation was simple but urgent: to create an organisation that not only amplifies lived experience but actively works to change the conditions that allow inequality to persist.

At its core, Women in the Shade exists to create environments where the talents, lived experiences, and unique perspectives of Black women are acknowledged, valued, and celebrated. Despite decades of policy reform and equality initiatives, many Black women in uniformed services continue to report experiences of marginalisation, restricted progression, and exclusion from decision-making spaces. We do not believe this is inevitable, nor should it be accepted as the cost of service.

Our work is grounded in a clear belief: when Black women are supported to thrive, organisations become stronger, fairer, and more effective.

Through conferences, research, partnerships, and open dialogue, Women in the Shade creates space for honest conversation, evidence-informed learning, and practical action, centred on dignity, equity, and belonging.

Deeds not words

This year’s conference reflects that commitment in action. Deeds Not Words is both a celebration and a call to action. It recognises leadership, resilience, and achievement, while also asking difficult questions about accountability, organisational culture, and responsibility across policing, fire, the armed forces, and wider public services.

The 2026 programme brings together an exceptional line-up of speakers whose leadership spans uniformed services, academia, and public life.

Our keynote speaker is Reni Eddo-Lodge, bestselling author of Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race. She is joined by Pauline Black OBE DL, Deputy Lord Lieutenant; Dr Alison Lowe OBE, Deputy Mayor for West Yorkshire and Police and Crime Commissioner; Phil Garrigan OBE KFSM, Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council; Commander Charmain Brenyah of the Metropolitan Police; Brigadier Thammy Evans, Head of Personnel Reserves in the Army’s Personnel Directorate; and Dr Keely Duddin, Senior Lecturer in Policing Organisation and Practice at the Open University.

Together, these voices bring depth, challenge, and credibility to a programme designed to inspire action and accountability. Women in the Shade is more than a conference; it is a growing movement grounded in community, research, and lived experience, committed to ensuring Black women are visible, valued, and supported to thrive within uniformed services now and into the future.

Further information is available at www.womenintheshade.com or via info@womenintheshade.com.

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