Comedienne Angie Le Mar and Amina Taylor, Editor of the Black British women’s magazine, Pride, have joined the line-up for the keynote debate at Women’s Environmental Network’s (WEN’s) 15th anniversary event, Global Footprints and Kitten Heels, on Friday 7th May 2004.

They will join feminist journalist Bea Campbell, Green MEP Caroline Lucas and others to discuss ‘identity in a changing world’. The theme arose from WEN’s work on cosmetics and will ask questions about the effect that advertising and consumerism have on people’s sense of identity, self-confidence and relationship with the environment. Consumer choices affect the size of our ‘global footprint’, the mark we leave on the earth.

“Do our kitten heels actually leave wellie boot size prints?” asks Helen Lynn, WEN’s Health Co-ordinator, “maybe it’s time to think about how much it actually costs the planet for us to face it each day.”

Global Footprints and Kitten Heels will appeal to all pockets and to anyone interested in the way we interact with the world around us. An afternoon of free activities starts at 12 noon. Highlights include a ‘toxic tour’ of your bathroom, a ‘fruity beauty’ session to make your own cosmetics and a fair trade fashion show by People Tree fashion house.

The debate at 5pm will be followed by an evening reception with an organic buffet and entertainment from dub poet and performer Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze and stand-up comedian Shazia Mirza.

Global Footprints and Kitten Heels, Regent’s College, Inner Circle, Regent’s Park, London, starts at 12 noon. Tickets: debate - £10 (£7 concessions), reception - £20 /£12, both - £25 / £15. For details and bookings, visit www.wen.org.uk, email wenadmin@wen.org.uk or phone 020 7481 9004.

ENDS

Contact Liz Sutton, Press & Information Co-ordinator: 020 7481 9004.
WEN is a national membership charity that campaigns on environmental and health issues from a women’s perspective. It educates, informs and empowers women and men who care about the environment.

Programme
12 noon
Event opens with displays about WEN’s work, history, current projects and local groups. All workshops and activities are 30 minutes long unless otherwise stated.
- ‘Wasted’, exciting waste prevention ideas… on wheels! waste prevention bus open all afternoon.
- ‘A toxic tour of your bathroom’ an overview from WEN’s health team
- ‘Urban Harvest’, organic community gardeners share their experiences plus
12.30pm
- ‘Compost surgery’ with the compost doctor
- ‘Changing style: cloth nappies ain’t what they used to be’
1pm
- People Tree fair trade fashion show
1.15pm
- ‘Fruity Beauty’, how to make your own beauty products
1.45pm
- Cartoon workshop with Angela Martin
2pm
- ‘It’s not blue, period’, sanitary protection and the environment
2.30pm
- ‘A toxic tour of your bathroom’ an overview from WEN’s health team
- ‘Beauty – a pointless affair?’ seminar with Helen Lynn, WEN Health Coordinator (1 hr)
3pm
- ‘Fruity Beauty’, how to make your own beauty products
4pm
- Cartoon workshop with Angela Martin

5-6.30pm
‘Identity in a Changing World’, debate with Beatrix Campbell, journalist and writer, Caroline Lucas, Green MEP, Amina Taylor, Editor, Pride magazine, Angie Le Mar, comedienne, past and current WEN women and members of the audience. Chaired by Susan Buckingham, Chair of WEN Board of Trustees.

6.30 for 7pm
Reception and organic buffet, featuring Bernadette Vallely, founder of WEN, on the early years; harpist Elizabeth Taylor, poet and performer Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze, stand-up comedian Shazia Mirza and belly dancer Jacqueline Chapman.

10pm
Close.

Note to editors
Biographies and photos of the speakers and entertainers are available. They may also be available for interviews before the event, subject to other commitments.