A COMMUNITY group is holding a celebration event to honour suffragettes next weekend.

One Voice Blackburn will celebrate 100 years since women received the right to vote with a special event on Sunday November 25 from 2pm to 4pm.

Speakers at the event will include Blackburn MP Kate Hollern, Cllr Saima Afzal, Cllr Maryam Batan, Cllr Jackie Ann Floyd and One Voice’s West End Girls (WEGs) lead Sifa Turi.

The UK Suffragette movement was born in Manchester in October 1903, when Emmeline Pankhurst held the first meeting of the Women’s Social and Political Union in her home at 62 Nelson Street.

Cllr Saima Afzal, said: “I have a personal passion to address the significant deficit of women not only in politics but also in senior positions of employment.

“Despite the Suffrage movement and The Representation of the People Act 1918 when British women over 30 gained the vote, I strongly believe that more needs to be done to mobilise participation of all women but in particular Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic women."

The event is part of the national Women’s Vote Centenary project.

Cllr Jackie Floyd said: “It is important to both celebrate the 100th anniversary of some women getting the vote and to spend time together supporting more women to step into political life.

The leader of WEGs, a One Voice run girls empowerment group, Sifa Turi said: "One Voice works hard to empower young women and it is only fitting that we pay homage to the women of Suffrage and celebrate the centenary of the women's vote."