Celebrated on March 8, the day honours the achievements of women worldwide.

Bolton has produced many famous faces, but you might not know some of these remarkable names, both past and present.

Suffragette, Sarah Reddish

Sarah Reddish (Image: Unknown)

We begin with Sarah Reddish, born in 1849 in Westleigh.

She started working in cotton mills when she was just 11 years old.

From an early age, she experienced the harsh conditions and low wages endured by working women, and decided to commit her life to improving them.

Sarah became active in the Bolton Co-operative Society and rose to prominence in the Women’s Co-operative Guild where she served as president from 1886 to 1906.

She brought suffrage speakers to meetings, campaigned for better pay for female workers, and urged men to take a greater role in domestic duties.

Sarah ran for the Bolton School Board and later as a Poor Law Guardian, winning her seat in 1899.

She also helped circulate petitions for women’s voting rights, presenting tens of thousands of signatures to Parliament.

Her career spanned decades of activism, including work with the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies and the Clarion Movement.

Trade unionist, Alice Foley

Born in Bolton in 1891, Alice Foley began working in the cotton mills at the age of 13, similarly to Sarah Reddish.

She took on the role of tenter (weaver’s assistant) and was responsible for overseeing machinery.

Unlike many working-class children of her era, she had the advantage of a strong education, despite leaving school at a young age.

Alice joined the Amalgamated Weavers Union as a “sick visitor,” assessing claims from injured or ill union members.

When she applied for the position of assistant general secretary in 1918, the post was denied to her, likely because she was a woman.

Despite taking on the work of the role for years without title or pay, promotion was slow to come.

It was not until 1949, after more than three decades of perseverance, that Alice was finally appointed to the position she had long deserved, earning equal pay and recognition.

Her contributions were later celebrated with an MBE in 1950 and an honorary degree from the University of Manchester in 1961.

Author and entrepreneur, Gulnaz Brennan

Gulnaz Brennan with the 2025 Taste of Bolton cookery book (Image: Supplied)

Gulnaz Brennan was named one of the five most Inspirational Women of the Year 2025 by the Daily Mail and Marks & Spencer.

Gulnaz has built a career around the principle that true success is measured by lives transformed and communities strengthened.

She is the founder of the SheInspires Awards, which began as a celebration of unsung women in Bolto.

It has grown into the UK’s largest women’s recognition programme of its kind.

Gulnaz also founded the Let’s Talk Money programme, teaching financial literacy through schools and nurseries.

Her joyful mascot, Molly the Money Butterfly, guides children through lessons on saving and spending wisely.

Her Empower 50K initiative aims to reach 50,000 girls worldwide with workshops on women’s health.

She has already visited remote schools in rural India, teaching girls self-care and dignity in classrooms with no formal facilities.

In 2025, Gulnaz launched RISE: Women Leading the Future, and continues to lead the way for women’s equality in Bolton and beyond.

Author and educator, Sufiya Ahmed

Sufiya Ahmed at at Bolton School in 2013

Bolton-born Sufiya Ahmed is an author who writes stories that celebrate culture and courage.

Sufiya began her professional life in advertising and as a researcher in the House of Commons, but her true calling came in writing.

Her debut young adult novel, Secrets of the Henna Girl (2012), won the 2013 Redbridge Children’s Book Award and earned recognition from multiple literary prizes.

Since then, she has authored picture books, biographical works, and middle-grade adventure series, including the Rosie Raja and Time Travellers series, which won Best Crime Fiction for Children at the 2025 CrimeFest Awards.

Sufiya has contributed to continuing Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five series for modern readers and has developed new middle-grade adventure series with international reach.

Her books often weave historical insight with imaginative storytelling, making complex themes accessible to younger audiences.

She often shines a light on the contributions of women often overlooked in mainstream history.

Sufiya has become a role model for aspiring writers and young readers, particularly those from diverse backgrounds.

Olympic athlete, Kiera Byland

Kiera Byland was honoured by the University of Greater Manchester in 2019

Athlete Kiera Byland won six gold medals for cycling at the 2015 and 2019 Special Olympics World Games.

As a child, Kiera struggled with her balance and coordination.

At 12, she took an interest in cycling after watching her father train at the National Cycle Centre.

In 2014, Kiera competed in her first Special Olympics national cycling competition and won gold.

She then went on to represent Special Olympics Great Britain (SOGB) at the 2015 World Games in Los Angeles, returning with three gold medals.

In 2021, Kiera was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to sport.

Kiera has devoted much of her time inn schools across the region, encouraging young people to develop a love of cycling and fundraising for equipment.

The work of these inspirational women continues to shape Bolton.

Tell us in the comments about other women who inspire you.

We’ve found some of the cheapest places to top up your tank in the county

Due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, there have been growing concerns that fuel prices in the UK may surge. To save some pennies, people will look for the cheapest place to try and get petrol or diesel for their car.

At the moment, the average price in the UK for unleaded petrol is 135.96p. For diesel, according to RAC Fuel Watch, it is 147.33p.

Throughout different areas in Cambridgeshire, there will be different prices at different places. We have compiled a list of the cheapest places to buy petrol and diesel in Cambridge, Peterborough, Ely, Huntingdon, and St Neots.

These are the latest figures according to Petrol Prices.

Cambridge

Petrol

1. Esso in London Road (Magpie Garage Murketts of Stapleford) – 138.9p

2. BP in Elizabeth Way – 139.9

3. Esso in Histon Road (MFG City) – 139.9p

4. Sainsbury’s in Coldhams Lane – 139.9p

5. BP in Huntingdon Road, Cambridge – 139.9p

Diesel

1. Esso in London Road (Magpie Garage Murketts of Stapleford) – 146.9p

2. Tesco in Milton -148.9p

3. Tesco at Fulbourn Automat – 148.9p

4. Sainsbury’s in Coldhams Lane – 149.9p

5. Gulf in Station Road at Histon Service Station

Peterborough

Petrol

1. Jet in Lincoln Road (Werrington Service Station) – 131.9P

2. Welcome Break in Peterborough at Kates Cabin Service Station – 132.8P

3. Esso in Padholme Road – 132.9p

4. Morrisons in Peterborough – 132.9p

5. Tesco in Werrington – 132.9p

Diesel

1. Welcome Break in Peterborough at Kates Cabin Service Station -140.8p

2. Tesco in Werrington – 142.9p

3. BP in St Johns Street at Boongate Service Station – 143.9p

4. Morrisons in Peterborough – 143.9p

5. Jet on Lincoln Road – 143.9p

Ely

Petrol

1. Ely Service Station (Low Prices Always Ely) – 130.7p

2. Tesco in Angel Drove – 132.9p

3. Sainsbury’s Ely Automat – 133.9p

4. BP at The Shade in Soham – 137.9p

5. BP in Wisbech Road – 137.9p

Diesel

1. Sainsburys Ely Automat – 144.9p

2. Tesco in Angel Drove – 145.9p

3. Ely Service Station (Low Prices Always Ely) – 146.7p

4. BP in Wisbech Road – 148.9p

5. Essar in Cambridge Road, Ely – 149.9p

Huntingdon

Petrol

1. Tesco Huntingdon Extra in Abbots Ripton Road – 137.9p

2. Texaco at Hemmingford Service Station – 137.9p

3. Shell in Ramsey Road (Shell St Ives) – 137.9p

4. Sainsburys in St Germain Street – 138.9p

5. BP on the A141 – 139.9P

Diesel

1. Tesco Huntingdon Extra in Abbots Ripton Road – 147.9p

2. Sainsburys in St Germain Street – 148.9p

3. Shell in Ramsey Road – 148.9p

4. BP on the A141 – 149.9p

5. Texaco at Hemmingford Service Station – 149.9p

St Neots

Petrol

1. Tesco in Barford Road – 130.9p

2. Esso at St Neots Service Station – 133.9p

3. Shell in Cambridge Street – 133.9p

4. BP in Great North Road – 134.9p

5. Welcome Break Bedford – 136.8p

Diesel

1. Tesco in Barford Road – 143.9p

2. Welcome Break Bedford – 144.8p

3. Esso at St Neots Service Station – 146.9p

4. BP in Great North Road – 146.9p

5. Shell in Cambridge Street – 153.9p

Prices correct at the time of publication.

North Yorkshire Police said the car had been parked outside a home in Starkey Crescent, Tang Hall, by an unknown man at around 9.25pm on Saturday (March 7).

The vehicle was unoccupied when the firearm was discharged and no one has been harmed, the force said.

Six police vehicles remained in Starkey Crescent on Sunday morning after nearby residents reported hearing loud bangs the previous evening.

A blue Nissan car could be seen parked in the driveway of a home in Starkey Crescent with a smashed windscreen.

The home, near the street’s junction with Cosmo Avenue, was cordoned off with police officer stood guard next to the car.

 North Yorkshire Police said its suspect in the shooting “approached the car on foot and ran from the scene”.

“No one has been harmed and it is believed to have been a targeted incident, with no threat to the wider community,” a force spokesperson said.

“However, we know that this will cause concern and fear among residents.

“We are carrying out reassurance patrols in the area while the investigation continues.”

They said officers will be going house-to-house to talk to neighbours while forensic examinations continue at the scene.

Officers are examining CCTV, doorbell and dashcam footage to help identify the suspect, the police spokesperson said.

One neighbour said they heard two “massive bangs” late on Saturday night.

Another neighbour said they also heard loud bangs which they initially thought were fireworks.

North Yorkshire Police is urging anyone with information about the shooting to contact the force.

“We are appealing for witnesses to come forward and those with any relevant recorded footage who have not yet assisted the police,” its spokesperson said.

“If you can help, please call North Yorkshire Police on 101.

“If you would prefer to remain anonymous, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or make an online report.

“Please quote reference number 12260041722 when proving details.”

One of the dog’s carers has been playing the lottery with the hopes of winning enough to buy a house big enough for them both to live

An adorably affectionate dog is stuck at a Cambridgeshire rescue centre searching for a forever home. Rescue dog Mavis is a resident at RSPCA Block Fen Animal Centre.

The one-year-old Cane Corso has won the heart of animal care assistant Jess Snape, but she is unable to adopt the loveable pooch. Mavis has been at the centre for several months and is desperately looking for a loving new home.

The affectionate dog has sadly already had three previous homes before she was rescued by the RSPCA. She was also underweight and needed eye surgery.

However, despite everything she has been through, Jess says she is one of the most loving sweetest dogs you will ever meet. Jess and Mavis have been inseparable since Jess started working at the RSPCA, and Mavis’ carer has started entering the National Lottery in the hope of winning enough cash to buy a house and rehome the dog.

“I absolutely adore Mavis – she is just a special loving girl, for a big girl she is a really soppy little thing and I know she will make an extraordinary companion to the right person,” Jess said. “I would adopt her in a heartbeat but I still live at home and already have my own rescue dogs.

“And this is why I started playing the Lotto because if I won I could buy my own home and then adopt Mavis! However, my chances of winning are probably quite slim – but I’m hoping that Mavis will be a winner – by finding her own forever home.

“Mavis has been so much in her short life, being passed on from different owners and all the while she was still so very young. Mavis is still a pup – at one year’s old – and it’s really heart-breaking when you see other pups getting adopted because they are small, while Mavis hasn’t even had one meet and greet – yet she is still a youngster as well.

“My wish is that Mavis can find her own forever home – there must be someone out there who could offer her this. It really makes me sad that such a wonderful dog keeps getting overlooked.”

Jess said Mavis is one of the most loving dogs she has ever met – a real soppy date – even though she is a bigger girl. She loves a belly rub and giving her paw – she just wants to please – although she likes to make her own bed.

Jess added: “I make her a lovely bed every evening before I go – but she then just takes it all out and makes her own bed on the floor – it’s very sweet to watch.”

Mavis is incredibly affectionate once she trusts the human, and she’s eager to please, making her very trainable for someone willing to put in the time and consistency she deserves. Mavis would thrive in a home experienced with large guarding breeds, where she can feel secure and understood.

She could live with older, dog-savvy children and, while she can struggle to express herself around other dogs, she’s shown lovely positive signs when introduced slowly and carefully. With patience and the right guidance, she’ll continue to blossom.

Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will already look very different as presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman won’t be returning to host.

Strictly Come Dancing bosses have reportedly dropped at least three professional dancers from this year’s line-up.

This follows BBC executives also considering new presenters after Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced their decision to stand down.

Reports suggest contracts are currently under review, with three popular dancers, including Gorka Marquez, set to be removed from the new series.

Luba Mushtuk is also understood to have been cut from the roster, along with Michelle Tsiakkas.

Gorka made his Strictly debut in 2016, and despite not being paired with a celebrity contestant last year, he continued to participate in group routines and the series finale.

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Luba joined the show in 2018, whilst Michelle joined in 2022. However, the BBC is now reportedly seeking a “fresh start”.

According to The Sun, significant changes are underway as dancers discuss their contracts, with bosses said to be pursuing a “fresh start” and introducing new talent to usher in “a new era”.

A BBC spokesperson told Reach Plc: “Plans for Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will be confirmed in due course.”

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website.

This marks the latest in a series of changes for the programme, with the professional dancers facing a new round of departures, whilst the BBC has yet to reveal who will replace former presenters Tess and Claudia.

The duo had presented the show together for more than a decade, with Tess at the helm since the programme launched in 2004.

2026 will bring significant transformation to the beloved BBC programme following the announcement of the presenting pair’s departure during the previous series.

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The duo enjoyed an emotional farewell during the Christmas Day special as they bid their final goodbyes, with Claudia saying at the programme’s conclusion: “Thank you again for watching us over the years, it has meant a world to us. There’s just one thing left to do. Come on, Tess.”

She then took her co-host’s hand, and they danced together, as Tess added: “For our very final time, Claud.”

Speaking about their departure, the pair described presenting the show together as an “absolute dream”.

Reach PLC has approached Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas’ representatives for comment.

Strictly Come Dancing will return later this year on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Are You Being Served? icon John Inman passed away on this day back in 2007 yet is still fondly remember and fresh tributes have now been paid to the beloved actor.

A huge TV star died aged 71 following a prolonged illness, shocking fans worldwide. Are You Being Served? icon John Inman passed away on this day, March 8, back in 2007.

But even though almost 20 years have passed, Inman is still fondly remembered, and fresh tributes have now been paid to the beloved actor. Inman passed away after suffering from hepatitis A and undergoing tests due to liver complications.

His manager Phil Dale paid tribute at the time, saying: “John, through his character Mr Humphries of Are You Being Served?, was known and loved throughout the world.” He added: “He was one of the best and finest pantomime dames working to capacity audiences throughout Britain.

“John was known for his comedy plays and farces which were enjoyed from London’s West End throughout the country and as far as Australia, Canada and the USA.”

Inman’s long-term partner, Ron Lynch, was reportedly “devastated” by his passing. As reported by the Mirror, the actor famously portrayed the flamboyant salesman Mr Humphries in the comedy series Are You Being Served? from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s.

Inman starred alongside Wendy Richard, who later became known for her role as Pauline Fowler in EastEnders, as well as Molly Sugden, Frank Thornton, and Trevor Bannister.

It was revealed following his death that he left a large estate, worth around £2.8mil to his partner. Although nearly two decades have passed, fans have been fondly remembering the actor on social media.

One fan simply wrote on Facebook, “Loved him, so funny,” with another adding, alongside a photo of Inman and EastEnders’ Wendy Richard: “Two of my favourites.” Another commented: “Aw….loved this show….and he was wonderful.”

High-end menswear shops played a recurring role throughout Inman’s life. Making the phrase ‘I’m free’ legendary as Mr Humphreys, the flamboyantly camp shop assistant in the menswear section of Grace Brothers’ department store in the beloved BBC sitcom, the part mirrored the actor’s own experiences.

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After finishing school, Inman worked as a trainee window dresser at Fox’s Departmental Store in Blackpool town centre, stationed in the gents’ outfitters section. At 18, he secured a position at the renowned Austin Reed flagship store on London’s Regent Street. Living in a £3-a-week bedsit, he quickly began making costumes for the numerous nearby theatres to supplement his meagre wages.

His Austin Reed manager Ron Dyer remembered: ‘It was impossible to lose my temper with John – he was so funny – but he was also very good at his job. But I knew he wouldn’t stay with us long because he told us constantly of his real ambition, which was to go on the stage. At 21, in 1956, he resigned to pursue stardom.

After befriending BBC newsreader Kenneth Kendall during his time at Austin Reed, Kendall offered Inman a part at a repertory company in Crewe, allowing him to obtain his Equity card. Years of vibrant performances followed across the nation in plays, pantomimes and musical theatre.

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His breakthrough arrived when TV producer David Croft recognised his exceptional talent. In a 1996 radio chat, Inman reminisced about Croft – who had previously cast him in “silly little piddly parts” – writing to him following his first major role in a West End musical.

He shared: “He wrote me a letter afterwards which said ‘Dear John, thank you for your work in Ann Veronica, you’ve been very good and one day I am going to cast you in a role you can really get your teeth into, love David. PS – this letter does not constitute a contract!’”

Staying true to his promise, when Croft and Jeremy Lloyd penned a standalone episode for the BBC’s Comedy Playhouse set in Grace Brothers, a fictional department store, they selected Inman for the role of Mr Humphries. From that point on, he never looked back.

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The unofficial soundtrack of every basketball, squash or hard-court tennis match is the constant high-pitched squeak or shreak of the players’ shoes. But can this squeak be designed out of them while retaining the grip?

That’s the question an international team of engineers and applied physicists, including me, have been investigating. It sounds like a small design tweak. In fact, it cuts to a deep physics problem: how a soft body slides against a rigid one.

Perhaps surprisingly, the mechanism that produces sound when a soft solid slides against a stiffer one has long been the subject of scientific debate. Most theories are linked to the concept of “stick-slip”: when, instead of sliding smoothly, the sliding object rapidly alternates between sticking and slipping.

While it sticks, the soft body (such as a rubber sole) deforms and stores elastic energy. Then it suddenly slips, turning much of that energy into heat through friction – while also releasing rapid vibrations that radiate out as sound.

But this is not exactly what we observed in our experiments.

After Leonardo da Vinci

Our recently published study took inspiration from the simple-but-effective setup used by Leonardo da Vinci in his studies of friction from the late 15th century.

Leonardo used a wooden block resting on a flat surface. The block was subjected to two forces: a normal force (its own weight) and a tangential force which was applied using an additional weight attached to a cable.

By stacking and combining multiple blocks, Leonardo discovered the two fundamental laws of friction: that friction is proportional with how hard the surfaces are pressed together, and largely independent of the size of the contact area.

But Leonardo never published these findings, which were finally rediscovered and made public in the 19th century in notebooks scattered throughout Europe. In the meantime, the laws of friction had only been formally enunciated by French physicist Guillaume Amontons in 1699 – two centuries after Leonardo’s studies.

Furthermore, these laws are empirical rather than fundamental, and in extreme cases they break down. This led us to the question of what makes a shoe squeak.

À lire aussi :
Leonardo da Vinci’s early work on friction founded the modern science of tribology

A surprising result

One of the biggest difficulties in friction studies is that the interface being tested (where a shoe sole meets a hardwood floor, for example) is hard to get at, and comes under a lot of pressure while slipping at high speed. Placing sensors at the interface is almost impossible – and even if it were, this would probably alter the frictional response.

Our solution was to use an optical trick: we replaced the hardwood floor with a transparent acrylic plate and mounted an array of LED lights along its sides. When each test object – including multiple rubber blocks – made contact with the plate, light would leak into the contact region, brightening up this area alone. That allowed us to visualise exactly which parts of the soft-rigid interface were in contact.

We used a high-speed camera, capable of capturing up to 1 million frames per second, to film how the contact patches evolved while the “sole” was skidding, and recorded the sounds being emitted with a microphone.

We found that at the point of contact, tiny wrinkles in the surface of the rubber block – known as “opening slip pulses” – were created, which then raced along the interface at nearly 100 metres per second. While most of the block remained stuck in place, these rapidly moving wrinkles created the sound in each friction test.

Surprisingly, even tiny geometrical features at the frictional interface had profound effects on the sound generated. When it was perfectly flat and smooth, the pulses were messy and generated a scratch-like noise of many different frequencies – closer to the sound of peeling adhesive tape than a clean squeak.

But when ridges were present, like those on the soles of sport shoes, the pulses were confined by the width of these ridges, making them very regular (not messy any more). This turned the sound into a more musical tone akin to the squeaks heard on a basketball court.

We were also able to determine what decides the precise pitch of a shoe squeak. In each test, it was largely unaffected by either the speed of sliding or magnitude of the force applied (which relates to the weight of a player).

Rather, the clearest link was with the height of the rubber block – or the thickness of a shoe’s sole. Using this knowledge, we created a series of blocks of different heights in order to play a familiar melody, as shown in this video.

Our research lays the groundwork for controlling or suppressing squeaking in many mechanical systems involving soft-on-rigid friction. These range from brakes and tyres to hip and knee replacements, where polymer liners slide against polished metal or ceramic heads.

And yes, it could even lead to the development of squeakless sneakers. Designing intricate patterns that keep plenty of rubber in contact (so the grip stays high) but break the sliding into lots of tiny, out-of-sync microevents could kill the clean note of the squeak, and leave only a soft hush.

Table-top earthquakes

Beyond the realm of sports, this work also relates to much larger geophysical questions. Similar experimental approaches to ours have served as table-top models for studying earthquakes, during which ruptures and slip pulses spread along tectonic faults at extremely high speed.

If we can reproduce earthquake-like slip pulses in the lab, the next challenge is scaling – working out how those centimetre-scale measurements translate to what happens inside real faults in the Earth.

Achieving this could help interpret seismic signals more confidently: using waves recorded far from a fault to infer what has actually happened at the source. Better physics-based models could improve seismic hazard estimates and lead to more reliable hazard maps.

Meanwhile, we’ll keep thinking about squeakless sneakers too.

Police, paramedics and firefighters were called to the scene in Vangarde Way, next to the Vangarde Shopping Park, shortly before 2.20pm on Saturday (March 7).

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said two fire crews were called to the scene.

In a statement on Sunday, a fire service spokesperson said: “Crews from Acomb and York were requested by police to attend an incident involving a single vehicle road traffic collision.

“Crews made the scene safe and left the incident in hands of police and ambulance.”

Holidaymakers could face major delays this summer

A new border control system is being rolled out at all European airports, including those in Spain, Portugal and Greece, from April 10. The new Entry Exit System (EES) requires British travellers to provide fingerprints and photographs when entering the Schengen Area.

British holidaymakers have been cautioned about potential queues due to the new biometric system, which was first introduced in October at some EU airports. All 29 Schengen countries are now expected to have it fully operational by April.

Some airport organisations have called for an “immediate review” of the Entry Exit System (EES) rollout as it “continues to cause significant delays,” and cautioned that queues for non-EU passengers could stretch to four hours during the summer months.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) stated: “EES checks are being introduced in a phased way across external borders, with full operation expected from April 10, 2026.”

The Foreign Office suggested that EES might take each passenger a “few minutes extra” to complete and advised they “be prepared to wait longer than usual” at border control, reports the Express.

The new checks at European airports follow the recent announcement that dual British nationals could be refused entry at the UK border unless they possess a British passport. The new regulation could impact holidaymakers returning to the UK from their European trips.

Full list of countries with the new Entry Exit System

1. Austria
2. Belgium
3. Bulgaria
4. Croatia
5. Czech Republic
6. Denmark
7. Estonia
8. Finland
9. France
10. Germany
11. Greece
12. Hungary
13. Iceland
14. Italy
15. Latvia
16. Liechtenstein
17. Lithuania
18. Luxembourg
19. Malta
20. Netherlands
21. Norway
22. Poland
23. Portugal
24. Romania
25. Slovakia
26. Slovenia
27. Spain
28. Sweden
29. Switzerland

Betty Brown, OBE — Post Office justice campaigner, Consett

Elizabeth Brown (Betty Brown) was made an OBE in the New Year Honours list. (Image: Lucy North)

Consett great-grandmother Betty Brown, 92, was the oldest person on the King’s New Year Honours List 2026 after receiving an OBE for services to justice.

She is believed to be the oldest surviving victim of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal, having run Annfield Plain Post Office with her late husband Oswall from 1985 until they were forced out in 2003.

The couple lost around £100,000 of their own money covering non‑existent shortfalls.

One of the original 555 claimants in the landmark group action led by Sir Alan Bates, Betty has become a leading campaigner, fronting national TV interviews and challenging ministers as victims finally secure compensation.

Vera Parnaby — “Mrs Poppy”, Consett

‘Mrs Poppy’ was also named in the New Year’s Honours list. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Known affectionately as “Mrs Poppy”, Consett’s Vera Parnaby has been selling poppies for the Royal British Legion for eight decades, raising well over £1m.

She began collecting aged six after her father was killed serving in the Second World War, accompanying her mother door‑to‑door.

Now in her mid‑80s, Vera is the Legion’s longest‑serving poppy seller and leads a dedicated volunteer team in Consett, even introducing contactless machines to keep donations flowing.

Her tireless fundraising has earned her a string of honours and a Pride of Britain regional fundraiser nomination, but she insists she has no plans to stop.

Rhiannon Hiles — Chief Executive, Beamish Museum

Rhiannon Hiles, Chief Executive of Beamish Museum.

Rhiannon Hiles has spent three decades at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, after joining as a volunteer in 1995 and working through curatorial, commercial and development roles.

She became chief executive in 2021 and has since led the open‑air museum to its biggest ever accolade – Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025, the world’s largest museum prize.

In February, she was named a North East Business Titan for outstanding leadership and contribution to the regional economy, praised for putting people and communities at the heart of Beamish’s success.

She also holds senior roles in European and UK museum bodies.

Hannah Fox — Executive Director, The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle

Hannah Fox, the director of The Bowes Museum.

Appointed director of The Bowes Museum in 2022, Hannah Fox arrived in Barnard Castle with a track record of transforming heritage sites.

In Derby she helped lead the £18m redevelopment of the Silk Mill into the Museum of Making, hailed as the UK’s first museum of its kind.

At Bowes, she has championed community‑led culture and co‑creation, fronting the Durham Creative Community Fellows programme, which supports 17 grassroots arts leaders from across County Durham in partnership with US‑based National Arts Strategies.

Fox regularly cites founder Josephine Bowes’ “tenacity, creativity and ambition” as the inspiration for the museum’s future direction.

Dr Sarah Price — Head of Locomotion, Shildon

Dr Sarah Price (right) with Bishop of Durham elect Rick Simpson. (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)

Dr Sarah Price made history in 2018 when she became the first woman to lead Locomotion in Shildon, part of the national Science Museum Group.

The museum, on the world’s first public railway route, tells the story of railways and the people who built and worked on them.

Price has spoken about challenging the perception that railways are a male interest, noting that close to half of Locomotion’s visitors are women and girls.

Under her leadership the site has expanded its collection, events and outreach, using the region’s rail heritage to engage diverse audiences in science, engineering and history.