INSPIRATIONAL ladies from Slough were celebrated at Slough Youth Parliament’s (SYP) Women Leading Women event at The Curve this month.

The female-only event marked the centenary of women getting the vote.

The free event, which was organised in conjunction with the council and Slough based human rights charity Jeena International, also featured a networking lunch plus talks by the council’s chief executive Josie Wragg and Thames Valley Police commander for Slough superintendent Sarah Grahame among others.

Marium Khan, an outreach worker and Oxford University graduate spoke about her background and the fact that when she was growing up, it was not normal for girls to go into higher education.

However this did not stop her achieving her dreams and attending one of the country’s most prestigious institutions.

Councillor Shabnum Sadiq, cabinet member for children and education, Councillor Pavitar K. Mann, cabinet member for regulation and consumer protection and Councillor Natasa Pantelic also attended.

Alaa Fawaz, chairwoman of SYP and Women Leading Women, said: "We had such a great turnout and it was amazing to hear such inspirational stories from ordinary women in Slough, who you would normally walk past on the street.

“It truly made me realise how each and every one of us has impacted the people around us and our community differently, and it deserves to be recognised.

“The networking event was a great way to come together to celebrate the centenary of women's suffrage and how much women have achieved and how much we have yet to achieve.

“As a young person, I wish to continue to advocate for female empowerment and host more events in the future."