First Woman

The First Woman to be made commander at Sandhurst New College Military Academy in its 300-year history. Lieutenant Colonel Lucy Giles celebrates the five women that inspired her to her achievement.   My Mother ‘She is the constant, stable [...]

Sally Kettle is an ocean rower and was the First Woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean twice from East to West. She made one of these extraordinary journeys with her mum. We interviewed Sally and her mum about the lessons learned during sea-bound [...]

RAF officer Air Vice-Marshall Elaine West CBE is the First Woman in history to become a military two-star officer. She joined the RAF at 17 years old and now holds rank equivalent to an Army Major General or a Navy Rear Admiral. She is adamant that [...]

 ‘Engineering offers all the opportunities anyone could possibly want – to women as well as men,’ explains Michelle McDowell MBE, the first woman to be made president of ACE (The Association for Consultancy and Engineering). In its 100+ year [...]

Leanne Martin is the RAF’s First Woman to become Improvised Explosive Device Disposal qualified. Physically and mentally demanding, Leanne’s expertise lies in dealing with potentially explosive devices within the context of international [...]

Chris Duffin was the First Woman Governor Grade at HMP Strangeways, the notorious, category-B male prison.  She talks to First Women about what she learnt on the job from prisoners, peers and the public reaction to her posting. ‘When I started at [...]