With International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month all taking place during March, we thought it would be a great time to check in with one of Cherry Godfrey’s trailblazing women, Alexie McGrath. In this blog, Alexie talks about five women who have inspired her, both personally and professionally.
Alexie, our Insurance Director for the Isle of Man, joined us in 2020. Born in Malawi before moving to the Isle of Man, and with a rich and varied background in finance, hospitality and insurance, Alexie has been a fantastic addition to the Cherry Godfrey family. In celebration of this significant month, we asked Alexie if she could give us some thoughts on the women who have influenced her journey.
Alexie McGrath: The Women Who Have Inspired Me…
1. The late Queen Elizabeth II
Taking on the role immediately after her father’s passing – and at a very young age – Elizabeth II holds the accolade of both the longest reigning British Monarch and the longest-reigning female head of state in history. Wow! Need I say more? It wasn’t only her obvious achievements that inspired me, though. I also admired her approach to the role – she managed to combine an incredible work ethic with a great sense of humour.
2. Jane Austen.
One of my favourite English novelists – and an early feminist. Austen’s stories were progressive in many ways, highlighting the notion that all women should have formal education and be able to make their own choices, rather than simply relying on marriage prospects for financial and social standing. Very modern for her time. All Jane Austen’s novels are wonderful but, Pride & Prejudice is my personal favourite!
3. Nina Simone (AKA Eunice Kathleen Waymon).
It’s been said that no singer was more closely linked with the Civil Rights Movement than Nina Simone – on a personal level, like when she took part in the Selma to Montgomery march, and with her voice, bravely performing her famous protest song ‘Mississippi Goddamn’ at a concert just three days after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. I personally fell in love with her music after watching the film Point of No Return (The Assassin): the lead character (an assassin) has a love for Nina Simone that borders on obsession, so I was introduced to many great songs during the course of the movie! Her music is just so versatile – she refused to be pigeonholed, which meant critics found her easier to sideline, but superstars like Aretha Franklin and Roberta Flack have cited her profound impact on their work. A true icon, in every sense!
4. Rozanne Bell.
A self-taught artist, Rozanne Bell is a Zimbabwean painter and sculptor now lives in the UK, recreating animals from childhood stories and capturing the abundant flora and fauna of the English countryside. I love her passion: art has ‘ever been [her] friend’, since – after a difficult beginning in fractious Zimbabwe, which saw her expelled from school at the age of 15 – she picked up a paintbrush and discovered a new discipline. She inspires me to work hard so I can buy more of her artwork – ha!
5. My mum.
My mum raised three children while working full time (during which time my dad was often working seven days a week). It’s instilled a similar drive in me: it’s very important to me that our two boys, Alexander and William, see their parents working hard and striving for more (to that end, we’ve both studied for further qualifications post children).
My mum’s incredibly intelligent: she reads a lot, and her general knowledge is on another level (perfect quiz team member). I remember her saying ‘I wasn’t put on this earth to clean; I have a brain’ - meaning she wasn’t going to be tied to the kitchen sink! I also don’t know anyone as mentally resilient as my mum. She’s a force to be reckoned with, and a true matriarch in our family.
