AN ANNUAL event celebrating women will be held online for the first time.

The Women's Action Network Dorset (WAND) is hosting Dorset Women's Day virtually for the first time on March 6 for its 'Zoom into Wellbeing' event.

The day, which will run from 10am until 5.30pm, will involve a range of 50-minute workshops over Zoom, all generally themed around self-care and wellbeing to try and promote the importance of looking after ourselves after almost a year of the pandemic.

There will also be an 'after party' in the early evening, with a Neals Yard home spa session available to 10 attendees on a first come first serve basis.

A spokesman for WAND said: "We know that for many women it can be really difficult to find the time for some much needed self-care. We are really looking forward to hosting an event dedicated to wellbeing which encourages us to be kind to ourselves at the same time as bringing women in Dorset together."

WAND is a community voluntary group committed to promoting women's rights and wellbeing, raising money for women's services, and providing opportunities for women in Dorset to socialise and share their skills. This year, WAND is raising money for the Sine Project, a charity supporting the wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem of teenage girls in Dorset, and WAND is suggesting each attendee makes a £3 donation per workshop to the charity.

In previous years, Dorset Women's Day was hosted in Dorchester and, although that cannot happen this year due to coronavirus restrictions, organisers are hoping it will still be a fun and supportive event where woman can spend time learning about the importance of self-care.

Tracey West, a patron of WAND, said: "Being absolutely truthful, good mental health and wellbeing, self-care and self-love have seemed elusive at many points over the past 12 months. The unwavering support of my - now exclusively online - tribe has been a life-saver.

"WAND sits at the base of that unbreakable sisterhood of support, with its sold foundations firmly rooted in the earth. Tender words of encouragement, uplifting notes of empowerment and heartfelt messages of love will undoubtedly continue to keep us going through whatever 2021 throws at us."

Booking is essential to ensure a place on the free event. For more information and to book a place, visit https://wandwomen.org.uk/events/international-womens-day-2021/