The Coca-Cola London Eye marks International Day of the Girl as female stars take to the sky to speed-mentor 250 schoolgirls

The day began at 8am with a mass speed-mentoring event on the Coca-Cola London Eye with 250 schoolgirls from London and beyond paired with 250 successful and inspiring women mentors from across a wide range of professions and industries including film, media, engineering, sport, politics, transport, fashion and campaigning.

For the first time, female politicians from six major political parties were mentors, providing an opportunity for girls to meet political role models they can relate to, and be inspired to be politically active themselves.

The schoolgirls, aged 11-18 and from 30 schools across London and the UK, were invited by Southbank Centre to be mentored on the London Eye and attend a day of workshops, discussions and performances at Southbank Centre on the theme of female leadership and how to make a change, however big or small.

The girls were from a range of schools, including both girls schools and mixed schools. Each school girl was matched at random with three different mentors in her capsule and had three 15-minute mentoring sessions on topics chosen by them during two complete rotations of the London Eye.