#IWD25 Stories – Starkeeper Morton, The Haven in Stonehaven
This International Women’s Day, we’re shining a spotlight on the incredible women leading the way in Scotland’s social enterprise sector. At Social Enterprise Scotland, we’re proud to have recently launched the Women in Social Enterprise (WISE) Collective – a dedicated network where female social entrepreneurs can connect, share experiences, and support one another.
In our mini blog series, we spoke to women in the network who are making a difference through their social enterprises to find out what International Women’s Day means to them, who inspires them and their advice to women everywhere.
In this blog, we spoke with Starkeeper Morton, Chief Executive Office at The Haven in Stonehaven.
The Haven is a social enterprise in the heart of Stonehaven, North East Scotland whose mission is wellbeing for social change.
💜 What International Women’s Day Means to Me
International Women’s Day is not a celebration to me but an ongoing movement to honour those who came before us, the women we are now and those yet still to come. A thread of solidarity that transcends time and connects us all.
It’s about recognising our own value and the value in each other, taking a moment to reflect, and holding a quiet but steady determination to keep going.
Today, I’m thinking of the women who hold things together behind the scenes, who rewrite the rules without asking for permission, and who create spaces where others can breathe a little easier. My life is brighter, better, and more meaningful because of their quiet, often forgotten efforts, and I carry that forward with gratitude.
💪 A Woman Who Inspires You
A woman who inspires me is The Haven Board member Rachel Frame. She does so much behind the scenes not just in our organisation but in our community, thanklessly, without fanfare or expectation. Chances are, if you are from Stonehaven, your life is a little bit better because of her and you wouldn’t even know.
🚀 My Advice to Women Everywhere
Be the warrior that rests. Real rest, the kind that isn’t earned through exhaustion but claimed as a right. Because a burnt-out woman isn’t a revolution, she’s just another casualty of a world that benefits from her depletion. Be the warrior that rests.
Read other International Women’s Day stories here.
If you are interested in joining the Women in Social Enterprise Collective, please email hello@socialenterprise.scot.