NOMINATIONS have now opened for the fourth annual Inspire Awards which honour women in and around the Bolton area.

The glitzy awards’ presentation evening will be held on Saturday, May 5, next year, but nominations will close on January 31.

Organiser Gulnaz Brennan said: “It’s important to nominate the women you believe deserve to be recognised as soon as possible.”

Mrs Brennan originally started the awards in a much smaller way as part of the Women in Neighbourhoods’ project, and at the Slaterfield Community Centre, with the help of the late Bolton councillor, Sufrana Bashir-Ismail.

The event has, however, grown over the years and also broadened its scope.

Last year, around 300 women attended the event at the University of Bolton when the Octagon theatre’s artistic director Elizabeth Newman took the Bolton Woman of the Year Award.

Mrs Brennan said: “For 2018, I wanted to extend the awards to even more women and make the event larger.

“So, now they will be held at the Premier Suite at the Macron Stadium and there are also more categories involved.”

The 2018 awards cover seven main sections: Social, Charity, Culture Art and Style, Sports Health and Well-Being, Industry, Business and Special Awards.

Each is sub-divided into individual awards including, Carer of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Charity Leader of the Year, Sports Team of the Year, Apprentice of the Year and Women in IT Award.

The Special Awards include Senior Woman of the Year, Lifetime Achievement and Woman of the Year.

“We are covering a very broad range of achievements,” said Mrs Brennan. "We really want to hear from everyone who believes they know someone who deserves an award.”

There is also a pre-awards’ lunch on March 9 at the University of Bolton for finalists and judges.

She also wants to hear from local businesses and organisations who would like to sponsor categories and individual awards and be linked to the movement to highlight and honour local women.

For more information about all the categories and information on how to vote go to www.inspirewomenawards.co.uk or email info@inspirewomenawards.co.uk