As I’m writing this it’s three days on from my annual highlight-day-of-the-year, the Women of the Year Lunch, which, once again managed to be an unforgettable combination of inspiring, moving, powerful, uplifting and hopeful. Celebrating the courage, determination, resilience, vision, tenacity and downright fabulousness of over 400 extraordinary women is something that never pales for me. Indeed it somehow seems to get better every year. I’ve been involved with the organisation for over 20 years and am now on the board and very proud to be following in the footsteps of my remarkable mum who was one of the Vice Presidents in its early years.

This was our 70th lunch, so all of us at Women of the Year had worked especially hard to make extra special. And I’m delighted - and relieved - to say, our efforts were rewarded with an afternoon that no-one who was in the room at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in central London will forget in a hurry (even more so for me because, at the age of 92, mum was there to experience it all with me).

Partly that was down to the magical alchemy that happens when you gather together that number of fantastic women, all of whom are there to celebrate, support and encourage each other. And partly it was because of the small handful of women we recognised with our awards this year, and two in particular. (Every woman who is invited, is at the event because she has been chosen as a woman of the year. We introduced the awards in 2000 in order to get sponsorship money for the lunch so that we can make it free for all the invitees).

What I’ve come to realise

Now I’ve had a few days to let my emotions sift and settle, I realise that what made the event so particularly powerful and meaningful was down to something I’ve never really fully considered before. Legacy. (You knew I’d get the theme of this blog eventually. Thanks for hanging on.)

I tend think of legacy as leaving some kind of mark on society and the world, and of course there are many eminent and famous figures who have done that throughout history. But the Women of the Year lunch, and this one in particular, makes me realise that legacy isn’t just about our achievements and contributions, although those are clearly part of it, but what lives on the hearts and minds of others when we are gone.

It goes without saying - but I’ll say it anyway - that legacy looks different for every individual. For some it means creating something that outlasts them—whether that’s a company, an organisation, a scientific discovery or maybe a piece of art (more about that in a minute). Something enduring that others can benefit from.

Then there are those for whom legacy is about social change. Who are driven by a desire to leave the world a better place. This kind of legacy rarely comes without struggle and sacrifice. But the reward is knowing that their actions helped shift the world in a more positive direction, even if only by a little. (There are a lot of these kind of legacy leavers at the Women of the Year lunch)

For others, it’s more about relationships. How they made people feel and influenced the lives of those closest to them. Their legacy lives in the way they loved, the friendships they cultivated, and the wisdom they shared. These are people who quietly support their family, friends, or community, leaving behind a rich legacy of love and loyalty.

Legacy-leaving winners

Our legacy-leaving award winners at this year’s lunch were the perfect demonstration of the different ways you can leave your mark on the world. Morag Lightning (who deserves an award for her wonderful name alone) works tirelessly to make life better for the people in her Aberdeenshire community, instigating and running projects as varied as planting a wildflower meadow to improve biodiversity and as an education experience for school children, heading a walking group for pensioners to help them become more active and creating a sports kit donation scheme for anyone who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford to buy what they need.

Morag Lightning - in pink - with her Community Champion award sponsor

Deepali Nangia is passionate about investing in, supporting and mentoring female founders and has played a part in giving so many women the chance to realise their business and entrepreneurial ambitions.

Deepali, on the left, photographed with her award sponsor

Galvanised by their own experiences and shocking research which showed that Black women were five times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth than white women, Tinuke Awe and Clotide Abe founded an organisation committed to highlighting and improving Black maternal health outcomes in the UK.

Tinuke (left) and Clo pose for the cameras ahead of getting their award

Beren Kayali is a young, Turkish born, engineer, living and working in Wales, where she has invented a lightweight, super strong, sustainable water storage tank which can be delivered, in effect, flat packed, and assembled easily and quickly, making it a vital source of clean water for impoverished and rural communities, especially in developing nations. Her invention is also being used in all kinds of water-management ways that are key to addressing climate change.

Beren with the presenter of her award, the wonderful actress Celia Imrie

The terrible death of her severely allergic 15 year old daughter, Natasha, was the tradegy that spurred Tanya Ednan-Laperouse to campaign for a change in the law regarding food labelling. She and her husband have also founded The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation with the aim of safeguarding the growing numbers of people, especially children, who are living with food allergies, and eventually, they hope, to eradicate food allergies altogether.

Tanya Ednan-Laperouse was given her award by journalist and radio presenter Emma Barnett

Each year we team up with the Lorraine show and their winner this year was another wonderful community trailblazer. Natalie Frankland launched and leads a much-loved walking group in Hartlepool to help locals with their mental health and runs what started as a free school uniform service but which has grown to provide a full range of free clothing to anyone in need.

Lorraine Kelly with the winner of the award voted for by her viewers, Natalie Frankland

Then there were the two awards in the gift of Women of the Year. And the two women recipients who brought the room to their feet with the power and passion of their respective acceptance speeches which so perfectly reflected the legacies they are both so fiercely dedicated to creating.

When her husband, Alexei Navalny, died in prison earlier this year, his widow, Yulia, condemned the Russian regime and specifically President Putin for his murder. Vowing to continue Alexei’s legacy of fighting for freedom and democracy in the country she loves but is forced, along with their two children, to live in exile from, she has become a powerful voice and presence on the international stage. In spite of Russia issuing an international warrant for her arrest, she has refused to be bowed. Or silenced.

Yulia Navalnaya with Women of the Year Chair, Lady Louise Vaughan and Teresa May who presented her with her Woman of Courage Award

In her speech she called for women, and especially those in Russia, to realise they have a part to play and in shaping the future. Women’s voices, strengths and vision are essential, she said, and accepting her award was a recognition of the courage of all women, fighting in their own ways, whether quietly or in the public eye. “I want them to know they are not alone. We are stronger together and our efforts are moving us towards a future where justice and freedom are possible for everyone.”

You can hear all of Yulia’s compelling speech in this week’s These are the Heydays newsletter on Substack (please do feel free to subscribe to get it each week whilst you’re there).

Our Lifetime Achievement Award winner, was Britain’s most acclaimed and successful female artist, Dame Tracey Emin. Someone who has always produced deeply personal pieces, her work has often provoked as much controversy as it has praise and she has remained fiercely true to her intent to create art that “is a place where people can expose themselves by looking at it, and they can feel their own feelings and emotions.”

The experience of life-threatening cancer four years ago prompted Tracey to deeply consider her legacy and to realise that she wanted it to be more that just the art she has produced herself. Wanting to play a part in helping more artists to create art, she has established the Tracey Emin Foundation in her hometown of Margate, providing 12 studio space for professional artists, and setting up the equivalent of a Masters programme for aspiring artists, all entirely funded by her.

Joan Armatrading presented Dame Tracey Emin with her Lifetime Achievement Award

“Art is one of the most beautiful things that humans make,” she said in her acceptance speech. “It’s like our mental and emotional garden. It’s something beautiful we put into the world and it doesn’t hurt anybody. And I want to see more beautiful things put into the world, that’s made by us. Not the amount of greed and fear and power and hatred that we’re all going through right now.”

All of Tracey’s fabulous speech is in the newsletter too. Make sure you listen to the brilliantly rousing end.

When it comes to legacy, we may not be a Tracey or a Yulia, but we certainly can be a Morag, or a Natalie. I think for me, legacy comes down to living with purpose—whatever that purpose might be. About being remembered for having kindness, integrity, and compassion. We may not change society or create foundations, but we can all leave a legacy that’s just as meaningful — one of love, understanding, and connection.

What would you want your legacy to be?