IT was very much Women’s Week in Bolton last week for several interesting reasons.

Not only was it 100 years since women over 30 won the right to vote so highlighting the Suffrage movement and all it achieved but the town’s fourth Inspire Awards were also held honouring local women.

The former was fascinating because it provided an opportunity to shine the spotlight on one local female: Mary Barnes.

The Farnworth woman gave more than 40 years of service to her town. Non-militant and non-party, she used her position as the wife of a successful cotton manufacturer to improve housing, health, education, living and working conditions for local people. A plaque bearing Mary’s name was unveiled in Farnworth Park with several of her descendants present. And so someone whose achievements were long-forgotten was rightly lauded.

The other event, the Inspire Awards, was a rather larger affair at the Macron Stadium when 500 people attended to see 26 different awards presented to local women.

These were in fields varying from charity and sport to business, industry and with several special awards for individual achievement. The winners proved to be an amazing cross-section of people whose common bonds were effort and dedication – whether that was succeeding in a business, raising thousands for charity or helping vulnerable local residents.

Some had fought through against the odds to achieve. Their determination was impressive and many had simply worked away quietly, often directly affecting the lives of others, with no desire for public acclaim or acknowledgement.

The head-teacher, whose primary school is in a very deprived area, who was helping her pupils to “shine” in life. The woman who met a mother who couldn’t afford to clothe her child and started a charity to help needy families. The successful businesswoman who began as an account handler and is now managing director of the company.

These stories not only fascinated the audience but also stand as a beacon of the calibre of many women in our town today.

But why no men’s awards, then? This question is often asked when women’s awards are discussed and there’s absolutely no reason why there shouldn’t be. Honouring achievements in a town like ours is not a difficult task as we have plenty of choices. It’s just that it took a woman to organise the Inspire Awards, Gulnaz Brennan. So, now perhaps it just wants a man to step forward.