New photography exhibition at UHI Inverness celebrates Highland women

REMARKABLE women who have made a meaningful impact in Inverness are celebrated in a powerful new photography exhibition at UHI Inverness by esteemed photographer and filmmaker Jenny Matthews.

The Women of Inverness exhibition features 17 portraits of females from all walks of life who have made valuable contributions to the life of the city by making a difference in their individual ways.

The exhibition was launched at a special evening reception at the UHI Inverness campus, attended by the women featured in the photographs. They will be on public display in the Learning Resource Centre at the campus until 10 April before being moved to a permanent location in the building.

The project is partly funded by Inverness Common Good Fund, and Inverness and Area Provost Glynis Campbell Sinclair welcomed all the guests to the launch event.

Jenny Matthews, a Visiting Professor at UHI Inverness, was inspired to embark on the project after being impressed by the memorable women she met during her visit to the Highlands in October 2024, when she was honoured at the UHI Inverness graduation ceremony.

Jenny said:

“Sometimes it’s a smile and helpfulness that inspires. From these brief encounters I proposed a project documenting the many different ways in which women inspire others - within families, among neighbours and friends, in public office or through paid or voluntary work.”

For Jenny it was a privilege to spend 10 days in September 2025 photographing these women, inviting them to reflect on their lives, passions and journeys.

“Every one of them said there were much more inspiring women in Inverness than them, but I think they are all amazing. They have such a can-do attitude, openness and energy, and they are definitely women who make a huge contribution. The aim of the project is to encourage younger people to look around them and spark curiosity about their fellow humans, and what makes people inspiring.”

The portraits feature:

• Suzanne Innes, dance teacher and Huntington’s Disease fundraiser
• Pennie Stuart, audio documentary maker, presenter, podcaster and breast cancer survivor
• Dell McClurg, community activist
• Jill McAlpine, founder of inpurpose associates
• Annie Griffiths, forest worker/manager and Inverness Foodstuff volunteer
• Gilly Thomson, Inverness Foodstuff volunteer
• Emma Laidlaw, Inverness Foodstuff volunteer
• Pam Urquhart, Operations Manager Inverness Foodstuff
• Elsie Normington, philanthropist and disability campaigner
• Ali McRitchie, hairdresser and owner of The Head Gardener, organiser of Catwalk for a Cause
• Norma Higgott, Chaplain at Highland Hospice
• Wendy Morgan, Communications Manager at Highland Hospice
• Jaci Douglas, Chief Executive of the Care and Learning Alliance
• Karen Saint, owner of Hou Hou Mei restaurant and champion weightlifter
• Emily Stokes, CEO of Mikeysline
• Judy Hill, superintendent, Police Scotland
• Lornagh Siegel, Ness Factor organiser and fundraiser

Jenny, a founder member of Format Women’s Photo Agency and a member of Panos Photographers, has documented social issues in Britain and abroad since 1982, with work published in the Sunday Times, Channel 4 and The Guardian. Her long-standing focus on women, girls and community resilience has shaped major projects on women and war.

During her time in Inverness, she also ran a portrait workshop with school pupils who attend college on a Friday. Their images are displayed alongside the main exhibition, showcasing the skills the pupils acquired by experimenting with different photography techniques.

“It is such a privilege to have access to students and to feel that I can inspire someone to incorporate photography in their career. UHI Inverness is very much a community university with an inclusive ethos," said Jenny.”

Professor Chris O’Neil, Principal and Chief Executive of UHI Inverness, said:

“I am so grateful to Jenny for demonstrating her artistry and her appreciation of the strength and vitality of the women in our community through this special exhibition. We are also grateful to Inverness Common Good Fund for supporting this project which we hope will grow and evolve over time.”

Sharon MacFarlane, a Tertiary Education Leader at UHI Inverness, said:

“This exhibition showcases the women’s stories through portraits that connect them and highlights their diverse experiences. Inverness is a city of female role models; some inspire through achievement, others through small acts that have a big impact. This project contributes to a more inclusive and supportive community by highlighting the resilience of women.”

Provost of Inverness and Area, Councillor Glynis Campbell Sinclair said:

“I meet inspiring women every day in often the most unsuspecting places across the Inverness area. I welcome any way in which to applaud their efforts and activities at home, work and among our communities. This exhibition funded by the Inverness Common Good Fund celebrates the female contribution in Inverness society.”

The exhibition will be open to the public until 10 April and it is hoped it will also be displayed in other venues in the city in the future.