The Lady Counsel: Brisbane’s newest social club for women

A personal tragedy prompted these young, Brisbane mums to reach out the hand of friendship to other women. Now, the social club they’ve created is building the community they say has been missing.

It’s time to get real about our “perfect lives” on social media to make way for a more authentic and connected community, according to the founders of Brisbane’s newest social club for women.

Feeling isolated and struggling to come to terms with the death of a friend, young mums Ellen Woodgate and Hannah MacDonald poured a glass of rosé in early May and hatched a plan to build the community they wanted.

They called it The Lady Counsel.

Hannah McDonald and Ellen Woodgate have started a ladies' social club with an aim to recreate community and support for women. Photo: Russell Shakespeare

“We were talking to a number of girls who all just seemed to be stuck in this place … all just feeling isolated and alone,” says Hannah, 32, who lives in Chelmer.

“We get stuck at home and think, ‘I’ll just cook the dinner, fold the washing, do the vacuuming’, instead of going to meet up and have that wine or coffee. Or you cancel plans and you end up on your phone looking at some 20-year-old influencer, thinking ‘her life is perfect’.

“And it’s not perfect. No one’s life is perfect and you need to ditch that and get out and be with your friends who make you forget about your phone and your housework.”

Last month Hannah and Ellen took action.

They launched The Lady Counsel with a sold-out event at Hunter and Scout cafe at Graceville, featuring Brisbane watercolour artist and guest speaker Pip Spiro, raffles, and plenty of wine.

More than 70 women attended, but missing in the crowd was the pair’s dear friend Ashley Gair, who passed away earlier in the year.

“Ash suffered from diabetes and a whole of string of illnesses throughout her young life but she always managed to see the positives or tell a good joke, even though she was probably having a far worse day than your ‘bad’ day,” Ellen says.

“She really inspired us. She was only 31.”

A few weeks after losing Ash, Hannah and Ellen, 32, sat down for that momentous glass of rosé and talked about how they knew so many women who were struggling with motherhood, pregnancy loss, grief, or taking care of ailing parents.

Hannah and Ellen were inspired to create The Lady Counsel after the death of a close friend. Photo: Russell Shakespeare

“We felt like it wasn’t just us who needed some extra TLC in our lives, but so many women we know,” Ellen says.

Now the pair is planning a bigger event in November, having lined up curvy model Bree Warren as guest speaker, with proceeds going to women’s charities.

“Social media is how we get out there, but we want to emphasise that you should come to the events for old-school connection where you’re not looking at your phone, where you get to have a conversation and socialise, and also listen … we want to rebuild that lady village.”

A self-proclaimed over-sharer, Ellen says by putting it all out there, she and Hannah are giving others licence to be vulnerable.

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At TLC happenings, they want to create an inclusive and empowering environment where women of all ages can connect and help each other navigate the tricky times life.

The extroverted pair walked on stage at the first event to Shania Twain’s Man! I Feel Like a Woman, setting the tone for a fun night.

Women of all ages attended the first event, with many pressuring the founders on the night for their next date-claimer.

Hannah and Ellen are now working on their own theme song for November’s event.

“This is a sweet spot. This lady village is what’s missing, and women just crave connection and community so much more than men,” Ellen says.

“Let’s stop acting like we’ve all got our sh*t together, like we’re all perfect, and come together. I feel like we are filling our cups so much by helping others. We created something that we wanted, and then it turns out other people wanted it too.”

Get together with TLC here.