To celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, here are three inspirational women that have come from Salford.
There are many women that have inspiring stories and life achievements from Salford. These women have themselves inspired younger generations of women to drive against inequality and surpass what would have otherwise not been possible.
Dame Sarah Storey
Eccles born Dame Sarah Storey, 46, is the most successful British Paralympian GB has ever seen.
Storey has received over a whopping 28 Paralympic medals, with an astonishing 17 of them being golden. After competing as a swimmer at four Paralympic Games, she made the switch from swimming to cycling in 2005.
Even though she was born without a functioning left hand, this never stopped her pursuing her dreams of swimming and cycling.
In an interview with Road.cc, Storey expressed: “We need to find a way of supporting women to race and allowing them to learn the skills.”
Sarah has broken new boundaries after being the most successful Paralympian for GB, proving that women can do it even despite challenges they may face. She has also been outspoken for women in the industry as well as the challenges she has faced with her disability.
Wendy Tan- White MBE
Wendy Tan-White (MBE), who was born in Salford, has amassed millions due to her career as a technology entrepreneur and technology investor.
Tan-White carved her name into the tech industry when she created her business ‘MoonFruit’ along side Eirik Pettersen and Joe White in 2000. Despite the business at first not performing exceptionally, the trio eventually managed to sell the company for over £20 million in 2012.
This then placed Tan-White’s name within the forefront of females within the tech industry, which is a sector predominantly faced by men.
Her achievements did not stop there however, with her becoming an appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2016 in Honours for services to technology businesses. As well as this, she received a ‘Women in IT – Business Role Model of the Year’ in 2017.
Wendy has since advocated for women within the IT industry, which is inspiring to many women throughout the globe.
One article she has written about this is linked here.
Emmeline Pankhurst
It would almost be impossible to write this article without mentioning Emmeline Pankhurst. After all, Pankhurst was born in Moss Side, within the hundreds of Salford.
Pankhurst is infamous for being a co-founder and a fore fronting member of the Suffragette movement in the early 20th Century. For her efforts in equality in 1908–09 Pankhurst was jailed three times, once for issuing a leaflet relying on the people to “rush the House of Commons.”
Her heroic actions for equality have never been forgotten.
Pankhurst’s efforts helped revolutionise what we know as modern democracy; fighting against the patriarchy of the time and helping grant women the right to vote.
Pankhurst is one of the great feminist icons in recent history.
Each of these women have achieved amazing accomplishments and have each paved the way for women in the future.
All the way from the Suffragette movement , to now creating tech companies and defying a male dominated sport industry, these women have helped put Salford on the map on their quest for equality.
Featured image credit: © Copyright David Dixon and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
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