Be Bold 2025 Winners

This year's Be Bold Grants are supporting five inspiring Lady Eleanor Holles alumnae whose projects are tackling some of today's most pressing challenges, from healthcare and women's rights to technology, communications and sustainable development. United by a commitment to creating positive change, the recipients exemplify the confidence, curiosity and determination that lie at the heart of the LEH community.

For Shivani Lodhia, Class of 2016, the grant will support the launch of Parisi, an innovative new platform within communications consultancy Parisi Consulting, where she is Founding Partner. Combining global media, parliamentary and proprietary data, the platform will help organisations better understand and measure reputation in real time. As artificial intelligence reshapes the communications landscape, Parisi aims to provide greater transparency and accountability by demonstrating the true value of reputation and trust.

The grants are also helping alumnae address global challenges. Veronica Bolton-Smith, Class of 2000, is using her funding to expand the reach of the Critical Minerals Africa Group, an organisation dedicated to promoting transparency, responsibility and long-term value creation across Africa's critical minerals sector. Through educational video content and public engagement, the organisation seeks to ensure Africa is recognised not simply as a supplier of raw materials, but as an informed and respected participant in the global transition to clean energy.

Improving outcomes for women and families is another powerful theme among this year's winners. Dr Deborah Horner, Class of 1995, has received funding to support METERNAL: The Maternal Critical Care Alliance, which aims to improve care for critically unwell women during pregnancy and childbirth. Drawing on her experience as an anaesthetics and critical care consultant, Deborah is bringing together healthcare professionals and service users to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality while promoting greater equality in maternity care. The grant will help establish METERNAL as a registered charity ahead of its full launch.

Megan Rossiter née Crawford, Class of 2009, continues her mission to place women at the centre of their birth experiences through Birth-ed®, the organisation she founded in 2017. Having supported thousands of families through antenatal and postnatal education, Megan is preparing for the publication of her first book, Birth Power, in 2026. Funding from the Be Bold Grant will help place the book in the hands of women who might otherwise not have access to its insights, while expanding awareness of her work empowering expectant parents to make informed choices.

Writer Stephanie Martin, Class of 2004, is using her grant to develop a new creative project exploring matrescence, the profound transformation that accompanies pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood. Through work that may ultimately become both a stage production and screen project, Stephanie is shining a light on experiences that are often overlooked in the workplace and wider society. Her project examines the intersection of motherhood, ambition and identity, while challenging the sexism and inequalities that continue to shape women's experiences. By bringing these conversations into public view, she hopes to contribute to a growing movement for change.

Together, this year's Be Bold Grant recipients demonstrate the extraordinary breadth of talent and leadership within the LEH alumnae community. Whether pioneering new technologies, improving healthcare, empowering women, influencing global conversations or using creativity to challenge inequality, each recipient is turning bold ideas into meaningful action. Their projects are a powerful reminder that when women are supported to take risks and pursue ambitious goals, the impact can extend far beyond their own communities.