IWD 2025 at Hotel Gosford: A Toast to Women Everywhere

On March 7th 2025, we hosted Hotel Gosford’s fourth annual International Women’s Day lunch, and it was a celebration to remember. A day filled with laughter, empowerment, and a lot of fun; here’s how we spent our day. 

This year’s IWD campaign theme, “Accelerate Action,” encouraged us all to imagine a world where women are truly equal — free from bias and stereotypes, with limitless opportunities and a world where every woman’s achievements are celebrated.

Our celebration brought together incredible women from all walks of life for an afternoon of delicious food, bottomless bubbles, and exciting activities. The event was made even more special by the generous support from local businesses, amazing entertainment, and a powerful cause. 

The afternoon kicked off with a warm welcome from the team at Hotel Gosford, and guests were treated with refreshing Limoncello Spritz, served alongside an Italian-inspired menu from Earl’s Kitchen that left everyone craving more. The menu included mouthwatering antipasti followed by a delectable trio of courses, including pumpkin rotolo, truffle mushroom arancini, and a refreshing rocket, radicchio, and pear salad. To top it off, the gals sipped on Wildflower Prosecco as we mingled and enjoyed the vibes.

Supporting a Great Cause: Coast Shelter

One of the highlights of the event was the charitable raffle, with all proceeds going to Coast Shelter, a local not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing specialising homelessness services with an aim to break the cycle of poverty and intergenerational despair and disadvantage.

With domestic and family violence rates rising, we need to ACCELERATE ACTION—this means increasing access to crisis support, safe housing, and long-term recovery services for those in need. Change starts with all of us, and the time to act is right now. 

If you’d like to learn more about how you can help Coast Shelter’s DV team support more women, more effectively, please reach out here. 

Thanks to the generous donations from many local businsesses the raffle was a huge success. Our lunching ladies were able to purchase tickets for a chance to win amazing prizes, including dinner vouchers, lingerie fittings, and gift packs. 

Supporting Businesses: A Huge Thank You

This event wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible local businesses that supported and donated prizes. A huge thank you to:

Your generosity helped make this event truly special!

The afternoon was further amplified by the infectious energy of a fabulous drag queen, @the.abork, who gave a sassy and fun performance that had everyone dancing and celebrating. The music was kept going by the amazing DJ Anna Poshe, who ensured the vibes were high and the celebration didn’t stop.

Thank You to All Who Made It Possible

As the afternoon came to a close, we took a moment to thank everyone who made this event so special. From the Hotel Gosford team and their exceptional service to the local businesses who donated prizes and raffle items, we are grateful for all the support. A big thank you to our guests — all the incredible women who made this day so fun, empowering, and inspiring.

Our International Women’s Day celebration was a reminder of the strength, creativity, and joy that women bring to the world. Here’s to breaking barriers, challenging norms, and creating a future where women everywhere can thrive. Until next year — cheers to women and all that we continue to achieve together!

 

 

Olivia Wilkey