A BOLTON-based awards ceremony has had to extend the number of potential winners being chosen after receiving a huge worldwide response.

The SheInspires Awards event will have 145 finalists in 18 categories on November 25 at Bolton Whites Hotel as well as live online, and will be presented by BBC North West Tonight’s Annabel Tiffin.

This comes after entries have come in this year from Dublin to Denmark and India to Australia, as well as from across the UK.

Gulnaz Brennan, who started the annual women’s awards seven years ago, said: “The response across the globe has been very positive and there are some amazing entries from many countries.

“As a result, instead ofjust having a north west winner and a global winner in each category as we’d planned, we have now also added a national winner in some categories.”

Each category will have its own dedicated judging panel and to reflect the international nature of the 2021 awards, the former Indian Ambassador Amarendra Khatua will participate. He joins award-winning businesswoman Jackie Hyde and Edith Conn, president of Red Cross Manchester.

The Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Linda Thomas, is also a judge along with Cllr Andy Morgan, Baroness Newlove, Dr Helen Wall and Shauna Morton from Bolton at Home. Dougie Mercer, Toughsheet's managing director and Mohamed Mustapha, MD of Genix Healthcare are also judges.

This is also the first time such a hybrid event has been trialled by the awards, with virtual tickets if preferred and a three-course meal delivered to individuals wherever they are.

Gulnaz added: “It’s wonderful we have been able to bring so many people together internationally through these awards and I’m really looking forward to what promises to be a fantastic night.”

To book tickets go to https://www.trybooking.co.uk/BBUL