SCHOOLCHILDREN and community groups will be among those marking International Women's Day with a number of special events in the county.

Historic female figures who left their mark on the history pages will be celebrated throughout Oxfordshire today, as well as those who continue to make a difference to our community.

Schoolchildren in Headington will be celebrating International Women's Day by focusing on British chemist Rosalind Franklin who is best known for her role in the discovery of the structure of DNA.

Headington Preparatory School is hosting a number of workshops with Oxford University professor of molecular genetics and metabolism Dr Anna L Gloyn and a team of researchers.

Oxford real ale pub St Aldates Tavern is doing their bit and offering women a 10 per cent discount on food and drinks throughout the week to mark International Women's Day.

The team at St Aldates say the promotion is in recognition of the 10.2 per cent gender wage gap and will be offered to women who quote 'girl power' when paying.

Elsewhere in the county a campaign to stamp out violence in all its forms is being officially launched in Oxford's biggest estate to coincide with International Women's Day.

The Safe Leys event will take place at the Blackbird Leys Community Centre and aims to give people support and advice to help deal with the effects of many forms of violence, in particular violence connected with drug dealing and domestic abuse.

Dr Hannana Siddiqui, a gender violence specialist, will be one of the guests speaking at the event running from 11am to 1pm.

In the city, a host of authors will speak at Blackwell's bookshop to celebrate International Women's Day.

These include Nochola Smalley, Alia Trabucco Zerán and Sarah Franklin.

It will be a free discussion from 11am to midday.

Later in the week the day will be celebrated with a special International Women's Day concert performed at Oxford's Holywell Music Room.

The concert, being held tomorrow, will be a celebration of female musicians, featuring the Faculty of Music's Director of Performance  Natalie Clein.

Musician Rebecca Clarke will also feature in a viola sonata and trio for piano, violin and cello. 

Tickets are £5 and it will start at 8pm.

If you have an event being staged to mark International Women's Day get in touch: naomi.herring@oxfordmail.co.uk