Celebrating International Women’s Day: Meet the Women Behind Some of Falmouth’s Favourite Independents

International Women’s Day is a moment to pause, reflect, and recognise the remarkable impact of women across every corner of society. It’s a day to celebrate progress, honour diverse voices, and acknowledge the creativity, resilience, and leadership that women contribute to our communities. From everyday stories to extraordinary achievements, International Women’s Day highlights why championing women’s perspectives matters now more than ever.

Here in Falmouth, our high street is brimming with independent shops, creative studios, and one-of-a-kind experiences. It welcomes visitors with its character, colour, and charm and in honour of International Women’s Day, we’re shining a light on some of the incredible women who help shape our vibrant town. Their businesses bring energy and personality to Falmouth, each one contributing to the creativity and community spirit we’re so proud of. We’re delighted to share their stories and celebrate their invaluable role in making Falmouth feel like home.

Jess Oughton– Beyond Repair

Meet Jess, the creative heart behind Beyond Repair, a small but powerful workshop tucked away in Old Brewery Yard off Falmouth’s Old High Street.

Jess retrained in sewing while raising her two young children, juggling study, childcare, and a complete career change after years in cheffing. Childcare challenges could easily have halted her progress, but with determination and essential support from childcare funding she pushed forward, laying the foundations for the business she runs today.

What began with mending clothes from home has evolved into a dedicated studio within the Outer Space Studios community: a flexible, supportive environment that empowers working parents and encourages creative collaboration. Jess now works with talented freelance female sewists operating from their own home studios, continuing a powerful cycle of women supporting women.

Inspired by the many female-led businesses that define Falmouth’s high street, Jess has created not just a space for her craft, but a hub for connection, courage, and community. Beyond Repair embodies the resilience celebrated on International Women’s Day, demonstrating how, when women lift each other up, everyone benefits.

If you’d like to connect with Jess or give a well‑loved garment a new lease of life, you can reach her on WhatsApp or visit her website.

Trudy Reid – Waves

Trudy has been a familiar face on the high street for decades. After nearly 40 years working as a stylist in Falmouth and Truro, she took ownership of Waves Hair Salon in 1998. Under her leadership, the salon has become one of Falmouth’s most trusted and longest‑standing hairdressing spaces: a true testament to the loyalty, trust, and community spirit it has nurtured over the years. Celebrated for its warm, relaxed atmosphere and unwavering professional standards, Waves continues to be a place where people feel welcome, understood, and well cared for.

Rooted in expertise, creativity, and genuine connection, the salon reflects the values Trudy has championed throughout her career. With a commitment to quality, stocking trusted brands like Wella, Eleven Australia, and Paul Mitchell, Waves remains a shining example of excellence while offering inspiration to the next generation of women in the industry.

For International Women’s Day, Waves stands not only as a symbol of the strength and resilience of women‑led businesses, but also as a reflection of Trudy’s deep commitment to Falmouth. Her longstanding presence and dedication to the community have helped shape the heart of the high street, making her an enduring and valued figure in the town she has supported for so many years.

Cath Horton and Theresa McCormack – Castle Sports

For Cath and Teresa of Castle Sports, running a business in Falmouth is deeply personal. Having both grown up and gone to school here, they feel closely connected to the town’s identity and proud to be part of its thriving independent community.

As women in retail, they’ve built strong relationships with their customers, approaching their needs with empathy, authenticity, and lived experience. They also recognise the extraordinary impact of women-led businesses across Falmouth. From ambitious graduates starting out to women branching out from successful careers and bringing national and international expertise, the mix of backgrounds, they believe, is what makes Falmouth’s independents so vibrant and distinctive.

Their own journey has required bravery and resilience, particularly when they made the bold decision to move into a larger shop right in the midst of the Covid pandemic. But it was a risk that paid off, resulting in increased footfall and a bright, modern space they carefully designed themselves.

Their message for women beginning their business journey? Be resilient, seek support, and take the leap: you’re capable of far more than you realise. Today, Castle Sports stands as a proud reflection of determination, community and creativity.

Kimberley and Jayne Jones – Dizzy

Dizzy on Arwenack Street is a colourful celebration of creativity and female entrepreneurship, now lovingly reimagined by mother-and-daughter team Jayne and Kimberley. After 14 years as a much-loved part of Falmouth’s retail landscape, the shop entered a colourful new chapter in autumn 2024 when the pair unexpectedly found themselves taking on the business after a casual visit as customers.

Kimberley brings seven years of retail marketing experience from Seasalt Cornwall, while Jayne draws on her warm, people-centred background as a teaching assistant. Together, they’ve created a space that feels both inviting and carefully put-together. Since taking over, they’ve refreshed the boutique with new fixtures, eye-catching displays, and an expanded product range, all reflecting their shared vision for a shop that sparks joy the moment you step inside.

Their journey beautifully captures the spirit of International Women’s Day: two women recognising the right moment, trusting each other’s strengths, and breathing new life into one of Falmouth’s much-loved independents.

Jeannette Preston – Pants Cancer Charity

Few stories illustrate resilience like that of Jeannette, Founder and Voluntary CEO of the Pants Cancer Charity. After undergoing womb cancer surgery at Royal Cornwall Hospital, she was shocked by how little awareness existed about the disease and she was determined to change that.

Armed with courage and conviction, she began spreading the word in supermarket foyers and high-street pavements across Truro and Falmouth, that smear tests do not detect womb cancer. From those early conversations grew a remarkable movement: major community events like Eden and Falmouth Rocks for Pants, the opening of the first Pants shop in 2009, and the expansion into warehouses and multiple charity shops employing 32 people today. These shops now support vital cancer rehabilitation services within the community.

At 77, Jeannette remains the charity’s only volunteer, giving her time selflessly, championing staff with hidden disabilities, and fighting tirelessly for the charity’s future. Her story is one of grit, compassion, and unstoppable determination: a powerful reminder of how one woman’s voice can spark lasting change.

Keep up to date with Jeannette and the team’s vital work via the Pants Cancer Charity website: Home – Pants Cancers, or pop in to see her in person to learn how you can support the cause.

Vicki Glaister– Inspire Makers

Meet Vicki, the founder of Inspire Makers, an independent creative hub championing over 60 micro Cornish businesses and highlighting the incredible range of local talent. For Vicki, running a business in Falmouth isn’t about gender: it’s about passion, dedication, and contributing to a town where both men and women work tirelessly to pursue what they love, despite years of challenging economic conditions.

What makes Inspire Makers so special is the platform it offers: a thoughtfully curated space, both in-store and online, showcasing a vast collection of makers and artists. After spending 25 years managing multimillion-pound budgets in high street retail, Vicki knows firsthand how easily women can be underestimated. Her advice? Tune out the doubters and keep going.

Six years on, she’s proud to see her business thriving. Watching customers discover meaningful, beautifully made pieces and witnessing the appreciation for Cornish creativity remains one of her greatest joys. Vicki’s work exemplifies the strength of women-led businesses in Falmouth, bringing balance, insight, fresh thinking, and a genuine commitment to community.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we’re reminded of how important it is to acknowledge and champion the independent businesses that give Falmouth its unique character, many of which are led by passionate, talented women. The stories shared here reflect just a glimpse of the resilience, creativity, and community‑minded spirit that define our high street. From makers and stylists to retailers, charity founders, and long‑established family businesses, these owners bring innovation, collaboration, courage, and a deep-rooted commitment to the town they serve. By choosing to support local, we strengthen more than just our high street; we invest in the people whose hard work, vision, and dedication help Falmouth thrive. International Women’s Day offers the perfect moment to reflect on those qualities- authenticity, connection, and community spirit- that make our independent businesses so vital to the future of our town.