We could not have wished for a more inspirational speaker for the lunchtime PIE talk on International Women’s Day than Amy Peake, founder of Loving Humanity.

Amy founded her charity, Loving Humanity in 2014 with the aim of helping women in war zones by alleviating the health problems associated with the lack of good quality and affordable sanitary pads. Since then, her work has helped to restore dignity and create social uplift for thousands of women in some of the most war ravaged parts of the world, and crucially, allowed thousands of menstruating girls, who would not normally have access to school, to receive an education.

A pilates teacher and mother of three girls, Amy’s mission began when she flew from her home in the UK to the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, 8 km south of the Syrian border, with the plan to provide practical help to the women and children, in the form of babygros, coats, blankets and heaters for schools.

Only a few years on, Amy’s efforts have led to the setting up of a factory in the camp which now makes sanitary pads for women and girls and nappies for the incontinent, and provides employment, hope, love, friendship and support to some of the most vulnerable people in the camp.

Her advice to us all?”In life there is 100% absolutely no rule book… connect to your heart and you’ll be unstoppable.”

Inspiration indeed!