Women of Harborough invited to light up the night in a show of solidarity

Women Only Walks (WOW) CIC is bringing women together for a special community Glow Walk, following an incident in a local park, with a message that women should never feel intimidated or unwelcome in public spaces.

Women across Market Harborough and the surrounding areas are being invited to join a special Let's Glow Together walk, organised by Women Only Walks (WOW), as a positive show of solidarity and support for women's freedom to enjoy the outdoors.

The event follows an incident during WOW's second Let's Glow Walk, part of a series launched in support of the national Let's Lift the Curfew campaign by This Girl Can.

During the walk, four women were approached by a man in Welland Park who behaved aggressively, swore at the group and demanded that they turn off their lights. The women chose not to engage and continued with their walk.

Following the incident, WOW founder, Jemma Redden, shared what had happened with the local community via a video on socials, prompting an encouraging response from women who wanted to come together and make a positive statement against this kind of behaviour.

The response has inspired the special Let's Glow Together event, which aims to bring women together, celebrate community spirit and reinforce the message that public spaces belong to everyone.

Jemma said: "I don't want women to feel that they have to change their plans, avoid certain places or make themselves smaller because of someone else's behaviour.

"We didn't react to what happened on our walk. We simply kept walking. But it made me think about how powerful it would be to bring our community together and turn that experience into something positive.

"This isn't about confrontation or pointing fingers. It's about solidarity. It's about women supporting women, feeling confident in the spaces around us and reminding ourselves that we have every right to be there.

"My message to our community is simple: Be bright. Be safe. And don't let anyone shrink your world."

WOW CIC was founded to make walking and getting outdoors more accessible, enjoyable and welcoming for women. With a growing community and a programme of regular walks and social events, the organisation places safety at the heart of everything it does.

Its core value is 'Safety first, always', which is why event dates, times and meeting locations are not published publicly. Details of the special Glow Walk will be shared within the verified WOW Facebook community.

Women who would like to get involved are encouraged to join the Women Only Walks Facebook group and become part of the community.

Jem added: "We want women to feel that they can walk, explore, meet new people and enjoy their local surroundings without feeling that their world has to become smaller.

"If anything, I hope this brings even more women together. Let's fill the paths with light, support one another and show what a positive, united community looks like."