FEATURE:
An Expanding and Loving Community
IN THIS PHOTO: Award-winning barrister Charlotte Proudman will be hosted by The Trouble Club on 30th April/PHOTO CREDIT: Jooney Woodward
Why The Trouble Club Is More Important to Me Than Ever
_________
I am going to come to…
IN THIS PHOTO: Emily Austen
the main feature in a minute. Before I get there, I want to do some administrative housekeeping. I have been a member of The Trouble Club for almost two years ago. It (membership) has been one of the most rewarding experience of my life. You need to follow them on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. I am going to recommend anyone not a member already to check out what The Trouble Club is and apply for membership. As I have said in previous features, there is so much to enjoy and appreciate when it comes to The Trouble Club. There are book clubs, social events, news roundups, member dinners, access to film screenings, in addition to a range of incredible discussions with women across politics, literature, entertainment, business and beyond. Regular events held at a range of incredible venues across London. There is also a relatively new branch in Manchester. Highlights there include a recent discussion with Caitlin Moran. I wonder whether The Trouble Club will expand even further to other territories. I know it is evolving and changing. Since I joined in 2023, some people have gone and others have come on board. One of the permanent fixtures and most important aspects of The Trouble Club is Ellie Newton. She is the CEO and Owner.
Someone who conducts most of the interviews for The Trouble Club, I know her role and involvement might slightly changing. Still heavily involved, there are going to be developments. All exciting. With a growing membership and huge interest in The Trouble Club, this is an empire of loving and welcoming members that has the potential to keep growing for years and years more. I am going to start this feature by looking back at standout events since the last time I published a Trouble Club feature. I am also looking ahead to upcoming events I am excited about and urge people to go to – whether you are a member of The Trouble Club or not. I am going to end with some dreams guests I would love to see talk for The Trouble Club, in addition to offering thanks. Rounding off with why The Trouble Club is inspiring me now more than ever – as I approach two years with the club. However, and a real privilege, I have an interview with Ellie Newton later in the feature. Some insight and reflections from The Trouble Club’s incredible CEO. The calendar is looking really interesting. Each time a new event is added, it offers something new and really intriguing. I hope that what I am about to share converts people who are not members now but might be tempted. The energy and warmth you get in the room when these events and social gatherings take place is reason enough. Membership is great value and you will come away from each event enriched, informed, moved and richer for it.
There have been some wonderful events from the past couple of months. I will look back at those before moving to a few upcoming that I am really interested in and looking forward to attending. On 19th February, it was a real pleasure attending Work Smarter with Emily Austen. One of the many great events on The Trouble Club’s schedule, it was advertised like this: “This is not for the bare minimum Mondays or the take it easy Tuesdays. It's an evening for those who strive for success; for ambitious women wanting to do it all, those who understand that you have to make a deposit to be able to make a withdrawal”. Taking place at The Marylebone Theatre, I was instantly struck by Austen. Such a compelling speaker, I would advise people to check out The Smarter Podcast with Emily Austen. Austen was talking about her life and book, Smarter: 10 lessons for a more productive and less-stressed life, for The Trouble Club. She is so inspiring and incredible. What she has achieved and how much more she will. I am going to move on but, before then, this interview from Alhaus is well worth reading in full:
“Emily M Austen is on a mission to help people live and work smarter. “I do not want my legacy to be that of ‘the tired woman.’ I do not want to be remembered for always being late, stressed, busy and exhausted. I want to be someone who lives abundantly. A woman with a connection to my values, an ability to set and maintain healthy boundaries. A life in which success is not defined by how late I stay in the office, whether I performatively rise before 5am, whether I choose to miss important days or how often I post about my job online.”
Emily's journey in PR started way back in 2012 when she boldly decided to start her own agency. As a female professional in a predominantly male-dominated domain, the challenges she encountered included having her authority and capabilities questioned solely based on her gender; and was even told on occasion that if she were a man, she'd be taken more seriously.
“I have spent the best part of two decades with the attitude that visible stress, hardship, personal sacrifice, damaging my mental and physical health and reaching burnout are essential parts of the reality of trying to achieve success. I overlooked the wins, dwelled on the losses, and lived under a veil of shame, guilt and low self esteem. My approach when it was difficult was to turn the screw even harder.”
On top of that, women have to deal with a system that glorifies burnout and makes women think they couldn't have a successful career and a personal life at the same time. But Emily believes this mindset needs to change, and she's passionate about empowering women to work smarter and live healthier. She believes in taking care of ourselves, setting boundaries, and creating work environments that foster creativity and teamwork.
“A truly smarter life is one in which putting myself first is not selfish. One where I don’t have to be 100% sure all the time. One where I can be determined, ambitious and successful, most of the time. One where softness is not weakness, and one where I create my own definitions, with the courage to change things if they no longer serve me. I don’t believe it to be easy, but I do believe there is evidence all around us that it is possible. I’d like my legacy to be that I was part of that evidence.”
The SMARTER method aims to redefine success, shifting the focus from over-productivity to long-term achievement. It challenges the notion that stress, burnout, and personal sacrifice are necessary for success. The author, drawing from personal experience and insights from successful individuals, offers a practical guide to achieving a fulfilling life and career.
“For the last 12 years, running my own agency and working with the most successful people on the planet, I began to consider that there might be a different way. Not to replace the graft, the determination or the commitment, but to consider that success at all costs is not conducive to a happy life, and to challenge societal frameworks of success. I have written this book in the hope that you are able to embrace your life abundantly, achieve all that you wish to, and maintain balance, in whatever definition you have.”
The book includes ten achievable steps, such as reframing thought patterns, cultivating an abundant mindset, setting healthy boundaries, and prioritising energy management over time tracking. The SMARTER method emphasises self-compassion, aligning with personal values, and creating sustainable systems for lasting success. It ultimately aims to empower individuals to achieve their goals while maintaining a healthy work-life balance”.
On 27th February, at Conduit in Covent Garden, Trouble Club members were treated to an emotive, powerful and, at times, eye-opening event: Three Years of War, with Olesya Khromeychuk. I would urge everyone to own her book, The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister. Her brother was killed serving on the frontline in Ukraine. For Trouble, she talked about dealing with that fact and her views on the invasion of Ukraine and whether there will be peace or ceasefire anytime soon. I think it is important to quote from this article and some wise and potent words from Khromeychuk:
“How has the war in Ukraine changed your life? Changed you personally?
It's no exaggeration to say that Russia's war in Ukraine has changed the world. Naturally, it has completely transformed my own life, too. The world I knew before the war no longer exists in many ways.
Russia took my brother’s life; he was killed in action in 2017 at a time when the world still treated Vladimir Putin as a peace broker. Because Russia enjoyed impunity for causing destruction and deaths like my brother’s, it felt emboldened to launch an even more devastating invasion in 2022.
On a personal level, the full-scale war has given me a different kind of voice. I no longer feel like Cassandra, endlessly trying to speak the truth and only being ignored. I felt this way while writing The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister. Now, I focus on sharing the knowledge and lessons from Ukraine that can help us confront global challenges, such as the rise of anti-democratic movements and the tendency to disguise cowardice and self-interest as pacifism. I know those genuinely searching for solutions will listen, and I no longer expend energy on those who stubbornly refuse to engage with reality.
PHOTO CREDIT: Natalie Godec
Since 2022, I've traveled extensively—from the west coast of North America to Australia, Japan, India, and across Europe—to speak about Ukraine. At long last, there is a widespread desire to hear from Ukrainians, and I've had the privilege of being one of those voices, amplifying the experiences of my fellow Ukrainians. While it’s true that the world is finally eager to discover Ukraine, some invitations have felt tokenistic: the once common practice of discussing Ukraine without Ukrainians is now considered poor taste, and I frequently get a last-minute invitation from organizers who remember that they need a “Ukrainian voice.” Yet regardless of the reasons behind these invitations, I approach each platform I’m given with responsibility. I know that there will always be people listening with open minds and generous hearts among the audience, and that is a true gift.
What has surprised you most about Ukrainians these past couple of years? Good or bad?
I can’t say I was surprised because I know Ukrainians and expected them to be united, firm, and to stand their ground. What always re-energizes me whenever I go back to Ukraine is witnessing how my fellow countrywomen and men carry on with life no matter what. They create theatre and art amidst war, they throw themselves into supporting the army in countless ways, and use their sharp sense of humor even at the bleakest of times.
There’s a fair amount of bickering, too, especially online. We have a brilliant Ukrainian word for it: srach, which could be roughly translated as “shit storm.” Yet I don’t necessarily see this venting as harmful. It can be a bit juvenile and sometimes hurtful, but it also reflects a society that values expressing differences and having disagreements. I’d be much more alarmed if a nation of 40 million people agreed on everything.
What are your plans?
My main goal at the moment is quite simple: to survive. I’m currently undergoing breast cancer treatment, having received the diagnosis during the third year of the full-scale war, just when I thought things couldn’t get much worse. Despite everything, I am incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by much support and solidarity. I’ve also found a way to process this new form of trauma through writing. I started a Substack account, Wounds and Words, where I share reflections prompted by my illness and treatment.
As with my book, it means a great deal when readers tell me my writing has helped them normalize their experiences. It’s a reminder that when life hands you lemons, you might as well turn them into material for your writing—because you never know whom it might benefit.
The plan beyond recovery is to continue writing. I already have an idea for my next book and am eager to carve out the time and headspace to put those ideas down on paper, which are gradually taking shape in my mind. We also continue a fantastic program of events and projects at the UIL, so there’s never a quiet moment, and I like it that way”.
An event I saw online was Caroline Lucas: Another England. That took place on 5th March at Century Club. One of the most requests guests for The Trouble Club, she was discussing her essential book. One that has received positive reviews. It is another book that I would strong advise people to buy:
“THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
'A visionary book' Philip Pullman
'Essential and magnificent' George Monbiot
'Deft and wonderfully poetic' Grace Blakeley
The Right have hijacked Englishness. Can it be reclaimed?
Today, the only people who dare speak of Englishness are cheerleaders for Brexit, exceptionalism and imperial nostalgia. But there is another England, hiding in plain sight, which is dramatically more inclusive and forward looking. Here, Caroline Lucas delves deep into England's literary history to sketch out alternative stories of who we are - ones that we can all embrace to build a greener, fairer future.
'Not just an inspiring, nuanced and deeply literate book, but that rarest of things – a necessary one.' Jonathan Coe, author of Bourneville”.
At the brilliant The Ministry in Borough, I saw Main Character Energy with Fats Timbo on 20th March. An activist and comedian, Timbo discussed her life as a little person. Her experiences. Someone who brilliantly and humorously talked about her life and career, it was one of the most memorable events I have been to. Before talking about the latest event I have attended, I want to source from this recent Big Issue interview with Fats Timbo:
“Both her parents had come to Britain in the 90s after fleeing war in Sierra Leone. They met as cleaners in a hotel here, working hard for little pay. Timbo’s mum offered to cook for her dad because he was homesick for food from Sierra Leone and, the story goes, she never left after that.
“Sierra Leone is such a poor country. You have to work so hard to get to this country, and then you come here and have to work even harder. They have resilience and instilled that in their children. They kept striving for more,” Timbo says.
Timbo’s parents both went to university despite having five children. Her father had wanted to go to medical school but could not afford to study for so long, so he became a mental health nurse and ward manager. Her mother was a general health nurse.
“They’ve worked in the NHS for so many years and saved lives,” Timbo says. “Seeing that helps me be empathetic to others, not to judge people and accept them as they are.”
Her parents had wanted her to choose a sensible, stable career. She has dyslexia but was skilled at maths, so she worked hard and got a good job in accounting.
“I absolutely hated it,” she laughs. “Fortunately, the pandemic happened, and they let me go. I was upset, but at the same time, I thought: ‘This is my opportunity.'”
Timbo has always loved to perform, dance and act – it was her dream to work in the creative industries. And she is funny. She enjoys making light of being small.
So with the outside world shut during lockdown, she turned to content creation, making witty videos to entertain and educate. She had a following already, having appeared on reality TV show The Undateables, but TikTok launched her career.
“I was doing it for fun and seeing where it goes,” she says, “but I thought if I could build a fanbase, I might be able to monetise it in the future.”
Some of her videos went viral and, a year after she left accounting, she got her first four-figure deal with a brand, and she realised she could make TikTok a career. Her parents got on board too.
“After that, it kind of skyrocketed,” Timbo says. She has taken on presenting roles with Channel 4 for the Paralympics, and appeared in shows including Celebrity Gogglebox, Celebrity Mastermind and Stand up to Cancer. She was recognised at the GLAMOUR Women of the Year Awards, and she wrote a book Main Character Energy.
“My confidence has grown from strength to strength, and now I feel like I could do anything,” Timbo says.
There are still challenges. She faces online trolling because of her appearance, and has had to learn to numb herself to hate. She uses the block button liberally and while remarks can be hurtful, she says she feels more sorry for the trolls who are going out of their way to be unkind than for herself.
In the outside world, people stare as she walks down the street – and that happened long before she appeared on TV.
“When I was younger, having eyes on me was a lot,” Fats Timbo recalls. “You want to blend in. How can you blend in when you feel like you are wearing a funny costume all the time? I just try my best not to look into people’s faces and focus on where I’m going. That helped me. It reminded me I don’t need to be self conscious”.
I will look ahead in just a minute. First, last Monday (24th March), I was at The Hearth for The Persians with Sanam Mahloudji. Longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2025, her debut novel follows five women from three generations of a once illustrious Iranian family as their lives are turned upside down. Another book that you should check out:
“LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2025
'The word-of-mouth breakout'STYLIST
'As funny as it is moving'GUARDIAN
'A joy of a debut' DAVID MITCHELL
'Mesmerising' MONICA ALI
'Glorious' SARAH WINMAN
A stunning debut novel following five women from three generations of a once illustrious Iranian family as their lives are turned upside down
Meet the women of the Valiat family. In Iran, they were somebodies. In America, they're nobodies.
First there is Elizabeth, the regal matriarch with the famously large nose, who remained in Tehran despite the revolution. She is kept company by Niaz, her young, Islamic-law-breaking granddaughter. In America, Elizabeth’s two daughters have built new lives for themselves. There’s Shirin, a flamboyantly high-flying event planner in Houston, who considers herself the family's future; and Seema, a dreamy idealist turned bored housewife languishing in Los Angeles. And then there's the other granddaughter, Bita, a disillusioned law student in New York trying to find deeper meaning by giving away her worldly belongings.
When an annual vacation in Aspen goes wildly awry and Shirin ends up being bailed out of jail by Bita, the family's brittle upper class veneer is cracked wide open and gossip about them spreads like wildfire. Soon, Shirin must embark upon a grand quest to restore the family name to its former glory. But what does that mean in a country where the Valiats never mattered to anyone? And, will reputation be enough to make them a family again?
Spanning from 1940s Iran into a splintered 2000s The Persians is an irresistible portrait of a unique family in crisis that explores timeless questions of love, money, art and fulfilment. Here is their past, their present and a possible new future for them all.
A most anticipated novel of 2025 in Stylist, BBC, iNews and Publishers Weekly.
'As exuberant as it is sharp’ iNEWS
'A sweeping and irreverent tale' BBC
‘Exuberant, comic, perceptive’ AMINA CAIN
'Funny, unexpected and riotous … will have you hooked' STYLIST
Gloriously engrossing’ TASH AW
‘Filled with heartbreak, humour, and so much love’ VANESSA CHAN
'A very brilliant, very special book' JESSICA STANLEY”.
There are some upcoming events I am going to be at that I would recommend others book. If you are a member yet or not, these are well worth checking out. One Ukrainian Summer with Viv Groskop takes place on Thursday (3rd April) at The Hearth. It is going to be timely and incredible:
“Autumn 1993. The former USSR. Viv is about to turn 21 and is on a study year abroad, supposedly immersed in the language, history and politics of a world that has just ceased to exist: the Soviet Union.
Instead, she finds herself immersed in Bogdan Bogdanovich - the lead guitarist of a Ukrainian punk rock band. As the temperature drops, he promises that if she can get through the freezing Russian winter, he will give her "one Ukrainian summer." But is he serious about her? Or is she just another groupie?
At parties, gigs and dive bars, Viv and her new friends argue over whose turn it is to buy cigarettes, the best places to find Levi's jeans and whether beer counts as a soft drink. No-one debates the merits of speaking Ukrainian over Russian, the precise location of the border or the undeniable brightness of the future. Of course good times are here to stay. Because the Soviet Union is finished. Isn't it?
Join us as Viv Groskop returns to Trouble to tell us about her Ukrainian summer”.
The Life of a Black Woman DJ with DJ Paulette on 15th April at The Ministry Southwark is going to be awesome and compelling (a word I do not use lightly). I am a really big and long-time fan of DJ Paulette and would urge people to get her book, Welcome to the club: The life and lessons of a Black woman DJ:
“Join us for a powerful and inspiring event celebrating the life, career, and unstoppable spirit of DJ Paulette — a true icon of UK club culture. From her early days spinning vinyl in Manchester’s most legendary venues to commanding dancefloors across the globe, Paulette’s journey is one of resilience, reinvention, and resistance.
With honesty, humour, and razor-sharp insight, she’ll take us behind the scenes of her extraordinary career — sharing what it means to break barriers as a Black woman in a music industry that’s often anything but inclusive. Expect personal stories, industry truths, and a celebration of the women and communities who have kept the music alive, even when the odds were stacked against them.
This is more than a conversation — it’s a tribute to a pioneer, a call for change, and a love letter to the power of music to bring us together.
Don’t miss this chance to hear directly from one of dance music’s most fearless voices”.
One of the most popular and biggest events will take place on 30th April at Union Chapel. If you go to He Said, She Said with Award-Winning Barrister Charlotte Proudman, then this is going to be a event to remember. Her must-own book, He Said, She Said: Truth, Trauma and the Struggle for Justice in Family Court, is released on 1st April. I follow Charlotte Proudman on social media. She is the founder of Right to Equality. She is doing amazing work:
“The family courts are failing the very people they’re meant to protect. Women seeking safety from abuse are instead met with disbelief, hostility, and a system that too often sides with their abusers. Award-winning barrister Charlotte Proudman will expose these injustices - both in the courtroom and beyond.
In this powerful and urgent discussion, Charlotte will reveal the harrowing real-life cases she has encountered, the misogyny embedded in the legal profession, and the systemic failures that continue to harm women. She will share the voices of those silenced for too long and offer a compelling vision for reform.
This won’t just be a conversation - it will be a call to action. Don’t miss it.
“Dr Charlotte Proudman is an award-winning barrister, academic, and campaigner Charlotte represents survivors of rape, domestic abuse and controlling behaviour in the family courts whilst also challenging misconceptions across the sector. She uses her knowledge and experience of the justice system to advocate for legal change and protect victims.” Legal 500”.
In a rare case of two events taking place at the same day at the same venue (which happens again on 7th May), SLAGS! An Evening with Emma Jane Unsworth & Dolly Alderton follows Charlotte Proudman. Their compulsive and hilarious book comes out on 8th May. It will be incredible hearing them in conversation. Quite an evening afoot at Union Chapel. It is going to be among the year’s best events. I know there will be a very receptive and eager audience in attendance. I am really looking forward to 30th April:
“Emma Jane Unsworth and Dolly Alderton talking about Slags? What’s not to love!?! Bestselling author Emma Jane Unsworth is back with a nostalgic, hilarious and occasionally heartbreaking novel that explores female messiness in all its glory and she’ll be sitting down with fellow bestselling author (and Trouble alumni) Dolly Alderton to discuss.
Slag. Noun. A promiscuous woman, of cheap or questionable character. Mostly derogatory. Sometimes affectionate. Takes one to know one…
Sisters Sarah and Juliette are going on a whisky-fuelled campervan road-trip across Scotland to celebrate Juliette’s birthday – and they’re going to dig up some demons from the past.
Emma Jane Unsworth is an award-winning novelist and screenwriter. Her first novel, Animals, was adapted into a film, for which Unsworth wrote the screenplay. Her second, Adults, was a Sunday Times bestseller. She also writes for television and various magazines. Slags is her third novel.
Dolly Alderton is an award-winning author and screenwriter. She has written four Sunday Times best-selling books, her memoir Everything I Know About Love became a top five Sunday Times bestseller in its first week of publication, won a National Book Award for Autobiography of the Year and spent 65 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Dolly’s latest novel, Good Material has recently been published in North America and instantly became a New York Times Bestseller as well as being named as one of their ten best books of 2024”.
On 7th May – two days before my birthday - Trouble Meets Ferne McCann. It will take place at The Magic Circle Theatre, Centre for the Magic Arts. This is a venue I have not been to. Many people will know Fearne McCann from The Only Way is Essex. However, beyond her T.V. fame and acclaim, she is someone passionate about mental health. The brilliant Ferne McCann founded this phenomenal tech start up:
“From The Only Way is Essex to founding the UK’s No.1 Digital Mental Health App and joining the lineup of Dancing on Ice 2025, Trouble is sitting down with Ferne McCann! (Assuming no serious injuries occur while Ferne glides and shimmies across the ice, are we the only ones who are terrified of having a finger sliced off by a skate?)
After leaving The Only Way is Essex, Ferne has found herself in the jungle on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and scaling sand dunes in SAS: Who Dares Wins.
But beyond reality TV, Ferne is passionate about mental health and founded Shoorah, a well-being & mental health tech start up along side global renowned experts.
Join us as we meet Ferne to learn about her life on TV and how Shoorah’s ground-breaking technology is changing the way humans manage their mental health and their lives”.
Casting forward to 28th June, I am going to be in attendance for Trouble Meets Entrepreneur Grace Beverley. That is being held at the beautiful Conway Hall. Trouble Club brilliant when it comes to discovering these eclectic and awesome venues. You can order her book, Working Hard, Hardly Working. This is going to be an unmissable event that I cannot wait for:
“A serial entrepreneur, changemaker and one of our most requested speakers at Trouble, Grace Beverley is an innovator by nature. Founder of activewear brand TALA, fitness tech brand Shreddy, and personal organisation brand The Productivity Method, and Co-Founder of AI company Retrograde, Beverley has a global following of over 3 million people.
Join us as we meet this incredible force in the world of business. We’ll discuss building outstanding organisations, finding purpose and beating procrastination. Known for confronting big topics in an informal & accessible way, Grace is a leading voice on female funding, the representation of women in media, sustainable fashion and entry into entrepreneurship, which she has spoken about on BBC Radio 4’s Woman's Hour, Bloomberg News and Vogue Business.
Despite tackling mammoth topics, Grace will prove that you don't need to take yourself too seriously to be a revered businesswoman”.
I am going to wrap up soon. Before I do, I was fortunate enough to interview The Trouble Club’s CEO and Owner (and queen), Ellie Newton. Someone who asks the questions but rarely gets to answer them, it is great putting her in the spotlight – and much deserved! It is because of her that we have this incredible (and growing) community. A platform that hosts awe-inspiring women who, in turn, inspire and move Trouble Club members:
“Hi Ellie. As CEO and owner of The Trouble Club, how does it feel seeing it go from strength to strength and grow? The fact that the work you have done has made such a difference to so many people must mean a lot…
It is incredibly exciting and I sometimes can’t believe how many people are in the Trouble community. Growing the club has been something I’ve worked on for many years so to see it come true feels amazing. There is always a bit of added pressure. I want every event to go well and I want the schedule to be full of brilliant talks and events so that members always feel like they get really good value for money. We are still a small team who make mistakes but our members are wonderful people who support us and for me, that’s the biggest win!
How did you come to work for The Trouble Club?
Quite a funny story! Trouble existed before me, it was very small and hosted a few events per year. I joined essentially just out of university as a part-time intern just to help with some of the events. When the pandemic happened the events were just going to end, but I thought there was huge potential for a club based around brilliant female speakers, rather than a private space. I therefore decided to take on the club myself and have made it my life ever since.
I know you have shared this on social media before…but what does a typical day look like for you?
Great question, probably a lot more emails and spreadsheets than people think. I host most of the events at Trouble, but most of the prep for those happens in the evenings and early mornings. The first thing I do each day is make sure everyone in the team knows what tasks need to be done. I check through each event and make sure everything is on track and then spend a lot of the day planning the upcoming schedule, fleshing out new ideas, interacting with members and keeping an eye on our social media channels, editing videos from past events and interacting with comments. The big fist pumps come when a big speaker says yes, or when we get really lovely messages from members. The events are my favourite part of the job though. Interviewing these incredible women in a dream, but meeting members and hearing their thoughts in person is just fab.
When it comes to the guests booked, how do you go about deciding who to approach?
A combination of ways. Firstly we have our membership application form. This form helps us vet new members. We are very inclusive so most people get in, but it serves as a great indicator of which speakers and causes people are interested in as those are the first few questions. I have formulas set up so that when a speaker is mentioned more than x amount of times, I get a little notification. I also try to keep aware of what’s going on in the media and women who are doing incredible things. Adriana Brownlee for example was on the front page of most newspapers when she became the youngest woman to climb all 14 of the eight-thousanders. That’s when I reached out and she was amazing! We also have a great relationship with the publishing world and they’ll often send speakers our way when big books are set for release which is really helpful.
“Hopefully this is the wakeup call that brings more people into the movement”
With Donald Trump President of the U.S. and misogynists like Andrew Tate holding a lot of power and using it for evil, women’s rights and safety is being taken away and threatened. It is a terrifying time. Do you think things can change for the better soon or do you feel it is going to take years to reverse and improve? How does it feel, as a woman, seeing the damage these men are doing?
It is such a worrying time and it’s hard not to think about the damage that will have been done for many years into the future. Personally I try to focus on news about women fighting back and in many ways it proves much of what feminists have been saying for years. Equality and progress is so fragile and can be reversed so quickly by a couple of power hungry misogynists. Hopefully this is the wakeup call that brings more people into the movement.
The Trouble Club has hosted so many incredible women through the years. Which guests or moments stand out as the most memorable to you?
Mmmm always a tricky one, because I leave every event thinking, “wow that might have been the best one yet.” Margaret Atwood stands out of course for being the brilliant author she is and for being wonderfully no-nonsense. I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Elif Shafak twice and I don’t think a kinder, more talented person exists. Recently though, I loved interviewing Caitlin Moran in front of 500 people in Manchester. She was totally amazing and captivated the audience and me. Honestly though, I could go on for hours. Every woman who comes to Trouble is brilliant and it’s such an honour to interview them.
IN THIS PHOTO: Michelle Obama/PHOTO CREDIT: Meredith Koop for Vogue
You must have a wish list of women who have yet to appear that you would love to book for The Trouble Club. Which names spring to mind?
The big one is Michelle Obama! Every fourth membership application mentions her as an ideal speaker and when (yes when) we finally host her at Trouble, my soul might just ascend into heaven then and there. Other people would be great actresses like Judi Dench and incredible authors like Zadie Smith. The actual list is about 400 women at this point and it gets a bit longer every day.
How do you see The Trouble Club changing and evolving in the coming months? What plans are in store?
We are changing a lot at the moment. The team itself is expanding which is exciting and our events will get bigger and bigger over the coming months. We have nearly two thousand members now and we want to make sure everyone can get to as many events as possible. This means I have to put my CEO hat on a lot more, but I enjoy the challenge and I’m really excited about the women we have coming up. I’m also really excited by our small gatherings which we receive great feedback about. I think people often come to Trouble for the big speakers but stay for the news roundups and book clubs where they can really get to know other members.
As Caitlin Moran said when she appeared for The Trouble Club, you have created this safe space and kind, loving and important platform. What is the most rewarding part of your job would you say?
That was amazing when she said that! My favourite part is often the moment an event ends and the last person has left. Usually I’m the only one around at the end and I take off my heels and feel so blissfully happy. Events have stressful moments because everything has to run on time, but in that moment, when I know everything went well and members left smiling and the speaker said incredible things, I feel so satisfied.
“…it’s so rare to be able to sit down with complete strangers and talk about a shared passion, usually making new friends in the process”
In the same way you ask your guests who their favourite troublesome woman is, who would you say is your favourite troublesome woman/women?
I’ll say someone who is no longer with us, as there is no hope of having her at Trouble (at least until we master the séance) but I wish people knew more about Virginia Hall. She was a spy in WWII and created the most incredible resistance network in France. She also had a wooden leg which was supposed to exclude her from working as a spy but she managed to use it to her advantage. She could play hobbling old ladies who were often overlooked and underestimated. The Germans gave her the nickname Artemis, and the Gestapo reportedly considered her "the most dangerous of all Allied spies."
For anyone who is not already a Trouble Club member at the moment, what would you say are the biggest reasons why they should reconsider?
We have so many exciting speakers coming up and I wouldn’t want anyone to miss out. But actually I would encourage you to join because of our smaller events. We have many more in the works and I think it’s so rare to be able to sit down with complete strangers and talk about a shared passion, usually making new friends in the process. From news roundups to book clubs and trips to the theatre, we have so much going on and the company is second to none!”.
IN THIS PHOTO: Gillian Anderson/PHOTO CREDIT: Simon Emmett/The Observer
Thank you if you have read this far! I know it is quite a long feature! However, it is a paen and love letter to The Trouble Club. I think, at a time when there is increased misogyny, hatred towards women and we are almost moving backwards, there is something significant and comforting being a member of The Trouble Club. Hearing so many brilliant women speak about their lives and experiences. I am more inspired now than ever because of the recent events I have attended. Whereas previous I read mostly music-related literature, I am investing heavily in feminist/gender studies books. Checking out authors like Caitlin Moran, Mikki Kendall and Emily Ratajkowski. I am going to end up by thinking about a few guests I would love to see at The Trouble Club. They have already hosted Laura Bates. However, with a new book, The New Age of Sexism: How the AI Revolution is Reinventing Misogyny, out in May, it would be wonderful to see her – as I did not catch her first time around. I would also love to see the award-winning gender equality campaigner, Patsy Stevenson.
IN THIS PHOTO: Billie Piper/PHOTO CREDIT: Jason Lloyd Evans
One name that has been suggested and is probably on their wish list is Gillian Anderson. A brilliant actor and author, her book, Want: Sexual Fantasies by Anonymous, is incredible. She would be hilarious if she was ever booked for a Trouble Club event! Maybe she will be added to the schedule. It would be a massive coup, though I feel she would be very much at home. I think she would love to be a part of The Trouble Club for an evening! The final name I would suggest – and someone else that has been suggested – is Michaela Coel. A peerless writer and actor, she is going to be appearing in new T.V. shows and films. Many might know her from shows such as Chewing Gum and I May Destroy You. The latter, released in 2020, is one of the most important and astonishing pieces of television of the past decade. She would be one of the very best guests ever. I wonder whether she is another name that could appear. Hearing Ellie Newton speak with Michaela Coel is tantalising! In terms of big-budget and fantasy guests, I would love if it Greta Gerwig came to Trouble. I am a huge fan and one her films, Frances Ha, is my favourite ever. I would also love to see Billie Piper and Bridget Christie among future names. Laurene Laverne is someone I look up to, so having the BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 6 Music broadcaster at Trouble would be a dream. Naomi Campbell would be a perfect Trouble Club guest. Someone I hugely admire. That is it. Thanks so much to Ellie Newton for her time and brilliant interview answers. For those who are not members of The Trouble Club just yet, I hope that my (extensive) words will…
IN THIS PHOTO: Michaela Coel/PHOTO CREDIT: Christina Ebenezer for GQ
CHANGE your minds.