The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Coun Naveeda Ikram, has launched an award to celebrate the achievements of extraordinary women in the Bradford district.
The Bradford Women of the Year Awards will recognise the positive and unsung contributions made to the local community by women who live, work or are active in the district.
Residents are being asked to nominate women who they believe deserve wider recognition and who fit this criterion. Winners will be announced at the annual International Women’s Day Lunch, which will be hosted by the Lord Mayor at the Great Victoria Hotel on Thursday, 8 March.
The award was inspired by last October’s Women of the Year Awards, which was held at the InterContinental Hotel in London. The Lord Mayor was handpicked to attend this prestigious event in recognition of her personal contribution to society, which includes being the first British Muslim woman to become Lord Mayor in the UK and founding the aid charity Bradford Unites in Disaster.
The Lord Mayor said: "I was relaxing on the journey home - thinking about the wonderful, inspiring and courageous women I had had the good fortune to meet at the lunch - and then reflected on the many local women I have encountered as a Councillor and Lord Mayor. I then realised we should do more to celebrate these women who make such positive contributions to our local communities.
"Just before Christmas I met up with Rev Dr Barbara Glasson who told me she was thinking of organising an award to recognise the achievements of women in the district. It was the spur we both needed to make this happen.”
Barbara Glasson, team leader at the Methodist Touchstone Centre, added: "We are looking for nominations for women of inspiration, dedication, commitment, courage and achievement, from the well-known to unsung heroines doing outstanding work in their community.”
To receive a nomination form, or for further information about the awards, please contact the Lord Mayor’s Office on 01274 434965 or lord.mayor@bradford.gov.uk Completed forms should be returned by Tuesday, 31 January at the very latest. All nominees must be aged 18 or over.
All the nominees will be invited to the Bradford and District Women's Forum International Women’s Day Event at Forster Community College on Saturday, 10 March.
The nomination panel will comprise the Lord Mayor; Barbara Glasson; Jane Vincent from Positive Bradford; Adeeda Malik MBE Deputy Chief Executive of QED; Liz Firth Chair of Bradford and District Women's Forum; Sandra Howard from Soroptimist International; and Hannah Baker from Bradford Telegraph & Argus.
Tickets for the International Women’s Day Lunch are available for £20 per person from lordmayorsappeal@bradford.gov.uk or 01274 434965.
For further information about the Bradford and District Women's Forum International Women’s Day Event please contact Liz Firth on 07876 794453 or liz.firth@live.co.uk
