Bishop Rose Delivers Leadership Message for International Women's Day

Chartwell House Care Home, Broadstairs, welcomed Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the Bishop of Dover and Bishop in Canterbury, for an extended celebration of International Women's Day 2026, creating a memorable moment of inspiration, connection, and profound reflection on building thriving communities.

Bishop Rose, who made history in 2019 as the first Black woman to become a Church of England bishop, shared her remarkable story of overcoming obstacles in her personal and professional life. Her impactful and moving speech was followed by a thought-provoking Q&A session that engaged residents, team members, families, and members of the public. Following the main event, Bishop Rose met privately with residents who were unable to attend, taking time to pray individually with some residents.

"Welcoming Bishop Rose for our International Women's Day event was a truly special moment for our community," said Jaye Dry, Admissions Manager at Chartwell House. "Her reflections on her life and work were both inspiring and deeply personal, and the honesty she brought to the Q&A made the conversation especially meaningful. It was wonderful to see our residents so engaged and uplifted by her visit."

Following the event, Bishop Rose shared profound insights on intergenerational wisdom, community empowerment, and the responsibility of today's generation to help young women not just survive, but thrive.

Inspiring Young Women Through Example

When asked how the Thanet community can better inspire, support and encourage young women, Bishop Rose emphasised the power of modelling inspirational leadership.

"Those of us who are in differing roles have to lead by example," Bishop Rose explained. "We have to model what inspirational leadership looks like. We have to model what it looks like to care for those who are vulnerable, to care for our children in the community."

Citing the African proverb 'it takes a village to raise a child,' Bishop Rose called for a shift in mindset: "We don't just think 'I'm only looking after me and my child,' but we live with a real sense of being part of the community. We practice that in the way we encourage, support, and share what we have, so that members within the community don't just merely survive, but actually thrive."

Honouring the Older Generation's Gift of Perseverance

Reflecting on the residents at Chartwell House and the intergenerational gaps that exist in care communities, Bishop Rose spoke powerfully about what older generations offer today's world. "The older generation does have something to offer this generation, my generation and younger generations: perseverance. They never let go. They never gave up," she said.

However, Bishop Rose acknowledged that this perseverance came at a cost. Many in that generation endured abuse and hardship that today's society no longer accepts.

"I used to say that that generation survived so that we could thrive," Bishop Rose reflected. "Our generation shouldn't be talking about survival, we should be talking about thriving. We learn by actually sitting with them and hearing their stories, sharing our stories with them, and enabling them to see what happens in this generation when we challenge things, how we make life better."

From "Children Should Be Seen and Not Heard" to Empowerment

Bishop Rose highlighted significant cultural shifts, particularly around children's voices and the confronting of abuse that previous generations endured in silence.

"We used to say children must be seen and not heard. We've come a long way because now we know that we must encourage our children not just to be seen but also to be heard, because they have a perspective," she said. "Today, thankfully, there is no silence. We speak about it openly to say no, that is not what you do with children."

Creating Better Communal Living

Bishop Rose's vision for care communities and society at large centres on mutual respect and learning across generations.

"If together we patiently recognise that the older generation still have something to teach us and to offer us, and that we can share with them too, then that makes for a much better communal living together," she concluded.

Jaye Dry reflected: "Bishop Rose's insights remind us that our role at Chartwell House goes beyond providing care, it's about creating spaces where wisdom is honoured, voices are heard, and every generation contributes to a thriving community. Her words will stay with our residents, our team, and our families for a long time. It made the day a memorable celebration of leadership, faith and the achievements of women."

Rose Josephine Hudson-Wilkin CD MBE KHC serves as Suffragan Bishop of Dover in the Diocese of Canterbury, where she deputises for the Archbishop of Canterbury.

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