♀️Bath and Somerset’s Most Inspiring Women 2026 | Anna Smith
To mark International Women’s Day 2026, we’re celebrating Bath & Somerset’s most inspiring women.
Through our website and social media channels, we asked our readers which women in our community inspire them and created a list of 20. The list will be featured in our Spring magazine and every weekday throughout March we are profiling and championing each of these fantastic women online and via our social feeds.
Today we put the spotlight on Anna Smith, CEO of the Quartet Community Foundation.
Tell us about you and your work:
I have run services which empower and acknowledge people who, for no fault of their own, are facing adversity. Whether that is domestic abuse or the challenges of having the limited choice of street sex work for women, or misusing drugs and alcohol. I have been proud to lead excellent teams who bring enormous skill to this frontline work. It’s not easy, it’s not pretty, but it does change lives.
I now work at Quartet which matches philanthropic giving with local need, across the west of England. ‘Wealth should be shared’, as one of our donors said.
Our mission is to improve the lives of disadvantaged communities across B&NES, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire through an accessible grants programme.
What are you most proud of?
Making a difference to people’s lives, running services which challenge judgement of women in particular – those who are experiencing domestic abuse and who street sex work – getting them to a place of safety and giving them a voice.
Challenging stereotypes and hopefully making sure that every one of those people is seen as human being with character, rights, agency and as someone who is valued. It could be any one of us and it could have been me.
How does it feel to be recognised as one of Bath’s Most Inspiring Women?
Not really what I was expecting and touched and excited to be nominated. I don’t really think about what I do as being inspiring but hope that it is. I saw a national female CEO speak once. She said, “Let the ladder down behind you” and I hope that I have and can support other women into leadership roles as we are so good at it!
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
It’s a day to celebrate the achievements of women, recognise those who went before (we stand on their shoulders) and to acknowledge what still needs to be done. The recent Epstein files demonstrate that clearly.
This year’s IWD theme asks us to think about how giving benefits everyone. What’s an example from your work or community life where supporting another woman led to something meaningful in return?
We hosted a royal visit from Megan and Harry in 2019 at One25, my charity at the time, which works with women who street sex work. It was an epic event on many levels and took two months to plan. The best bit for me was supporting a woman who had street sex worked and had stepped away from that, met with the royal visitors, told her story and be heard, not judged. She didn’t want to go home that night as she was on a high and had gone from being at her lowest point to being listened to and validated.
What piece of advice would you share with your younger self?
Be braver! Trust your gut. Get a female mentor. Don’t listen to those who told you that you can’t work and have kids or would rather be at home with your kids than work – that wasn’t for you (although it is for some). Always be kind. The world is your oyster.
This feature is sponsored by Milsted Langdon accountants. Milsted Langdon are supporting this activity for a fourth consecutive year as they are passionate about supporting women in business and helping local communities thrive through their work with business owners, charities and not-for-profits.
