20 inspirational women from Norwich

They’re putting us on the map


From our creatives to our brightest minds, Norwich girls have so much to offer the world. Its not all about the big cities anymore, these girls are putting Norwich on the map.

Bloggers

Tanya Burr

With over 3 and a half million subscribers on YouTube, a makeup line and two books, YouTuber and blogger, Tanya Burr is a millennial business woman to the max. Self started and self taught in the industry she has risen to fame off her own back.

Starting earlier this year Tanya launched her #timeforgirls campaign alongside Global Goals, which aims to fulfill every girls right to an education. This month she took a trip to South Africa to see the impact the campaign could have for many young women there.

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Carly Rowena

Based in Norwich, Carly Rowena has over 200,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel  and has worked with brands several fitness brands across her career. While, as a professional personal trainer, she is mainly a fitness blogger and posts easy workouts suited to any women, she also offers insights into positive mindset, living a happy life and travel.

Carly is massive advocate of self love and eating to be healthy, and empowers millions of women through her social networking, and always with an unwavering smile.

She is currently working on her very own ebook which she says will “Give you guys everything you need to reach your fitness and body goals”

Helen Anderson

Helen Anderson is a fashion blogger focusing on alternative fashion and personal style, hoping to express individuality and creativity in her content. She quotes her influences as “the 80s and 90s, rock n roll, vintage and trashy hollywood glamour”.
She also sings in the band called Box of Light, delivering “beachy pop nostalgic vibes” .
Lucy and Lydia Connell

These twins from Norwich are typical girl-next-door and extremely down to earth in their content. Offering girly fun they recently moved to London off the back of their success as full time bloggers. Following these two on snapchat is like following your friends.

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Pixiwoo

Stars of YouTube Sam and Nicki Chapman, are Tanya Burr’s sisters in law and inspiration, with over 2 million subscribers the sisters have made over 750 videos. Trained makeup artist their videos show different looks and they’ve worked with Real Techniques to create a line of brushes.

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Leanne Lim Walker

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Creatives

Olivia Colman

Most famous for Broadchurch and the Night Manger, Colman has won BAFTAs for Best Supporting Actress, Best Female Comedy Performance  and Best Leading Actress. She has supported women across the world in various campaigns, notably with a radio documentary about the plight of women in Afghanistan on behalf of Amnesty International for the BBC.

The Nor-folk

Nor-Folk is a graphic design-led lifestyle brand founded by Fiona Burrage and her husband who are graphic designers by trade.

Together they design and create clothing for adults, children and the home, “with a timeless minimalist design aesthetic”.

The passion in their designs and products reflect the way they live themselves, minimalist with a less is more and quality over quantity sentiment.

Sam Claflin, another Norwich born inspiration, is a fan of the brand:

Maggie Ling

Maggie Ling is a “previous fashion designer and illustrator, fashion copywriter, filing clerk, children’s charity worker, children’s book illustrator, humorous illustrator, bad poet and not bad cartoonist”, having done all of those Maggie traded her pen and drawing board for a writing desk and has added fiction writer to her list of talents.

The short story is currently her favorite form with her latest work all collected here.

Paeony Lewis

After she graduated Paeony had many jobs in Norwich and spent years writing advertising for magazines and newspapers, and producing catalogues and press releases for books, before she finally began writing children’s books for a living. Having struggled to write with pen and paper, using a computer gave Paeony a new lease of inspiration and her books are hugely popular.

Miranda Raison

Miranda grew up on the North Norfolk coast, she gained her critical acclaim playing the title role in ‘Anne Boleyn’ at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and has since found success in several television series, Spooks, Silk and 24 to name a few.

Hazel Compton

Hazel is a magazine publisher, has been a book publisher, worked in education and as a freelance copywriter, proof-reader, editor and creative writing tutor. She’s won several awards for her short stories and has been published in the 2014 anthology ‘Hide It!’

The inspiration behind her novel is her love of video games and dystopian satire, and will be out later this year.

Bright Minds

The Magdalene Group

The Magdalene Group offer several options of front  has been working in the field of sexual exploitation for twenty years. We offer a variety of front-line projects aimed at raising awareness and preventing the sexual exploitation and coercion of women and young people.

Nikki Thomas

Last year Nikki Thomas because the first woman to command an RAF fast jet squadron and who took charge of the newly reformed No 12 Squadron at RAF Marham in Norfolk.

Nicki is a weapons system operator with extensive experience of combat operations, clocking up more than 35 missions in Afghanistan within three months alone and the first woman in a role of this kind.

Of the difference between being a woman on the force and a man Thomas said: ““The only difference is from other people. When you are Air to Air refuelling they are a lot more chatty with us compared to the guys, and the guys on the ground recognise your voice very quickly.”

Fiona Temple

Fiona Temple is one of the women behind Inspired Minds East:

“Inspired Women is a supportive network of female professionals that work directly with young women, sharing their journeys, sharing their successes and sharing their challenges.  Through this work, it is hoped that young women across the region feel inspired to grow their self confidence and self belief, and go on to achieve their personal goals, be they in life or through a career.”

Temple took over her father’s Norwich business instead of her brother who ‘traditionally’ would of taken the role, she now she sees helping young women into the business world as her “responsibility”.

Liz Truss

Liz Truss is the first female Lord Chancellor in the thousand-year history, under the new PM, taking over the role from Michael Gove. We have yet to see much from her in the role, only appointed on 14th July 2016, but simply the role is a great achivement for Truss, having previously been Environment Secretary.

Evie Rodwell

Evie is a gymnast selected to represent Great Britain in the World Downs Syndrome Gymnastics Championship in Milan in November. At only 13-year old she still needs to raise £2,500 to compete in Milan. Her determined nature is seeing her live her dream despite all the obstacles in her way.

Jade Chapman

Jade Chapman, set up ‘Let Sign Shine’ last year, prompted by fears for her profoundly deaf sister’s future. In support of her sister she set up the charity and classes using her Bernard Matthews Youth Award prize money to pay for the lessons.

Kate Middleton 

She’s not Norfolk born and bred, but The Duchess of Cambridge has lived in the area since she married William and we now claim her as our own.

Kate is a feminist figure and fashion icon world-wide and an inspiration to many.

Sophie Mckinna

British shot putter Sophie McKinna has set up her own meeting on Saturday as she bids for an Olympic qualification distance before Monday’s deadline. The 21-year-old has already thrown 18.41m in 2016, well over the 17.75m British Athletics qualifying standard. But that was at an event without the correct permit to count towards Rio 2016 qualification.

In a final attempt for Rio, the Great Yarmouth athlete has created her own event at the University of East Anglia.