A WOMAN who was the driving force behind an initiative to help youngsters get on their feet in Barrow has been recognised for her work.

The 29th Cumbria Women of the Year awards at the Laura Ashley The Belsfield hotel in Bowness, saw Nicola Kell win the Cumbria Life Lifetime Achievement Award.

Nicola has worked for Project John, a supported housing project for young people which offers accommodation, training and support, for the past 25 years.

She was crucial in developing The Hub, a one-stop shop for young people in the Furness area which opened earlier this year.

The multi-use centre in Cavendish Street includes a coffee shop, a family room, training facilities as well as space for other charities.

She was unable to attend the event and will pick up her award at a later date.

Elsewhere, a woman who campaigned for the release of her brother from an Indian prison was named Cumbria Woman of the Year a year to the day since he left jail.

Joanne Thomlinson was part of a worldwide campaign pushing for the release of her brother John Armstrong who spent more than four years stranded in the country.

John was one of the six Britons jailed on weapons charges after working as security guards on ships to combat piracy in the Indian Ocean.

Joanne, along with the other families of the men, known as the Chennai Six, campaigned tirelessly to have the conviction overturned.

She gave interviews on television and radio, harnessed the support of government ministers and celebrities as part of the campaign and visited John in India on several occasions.

The men were acquitted by an Indian court in November 2017.

Joanne, who works for Dodd & Co and lives in Wigton, said: “It is amazing to be among so many inspirational women and I feel humbled to have won. I was a small part of a big team who campaigned to have John and his colleagues released and to receive this award a year to the day is especially poignant.”

Nearly 50 fundraisers, community volunteers and campaigners attended the annual lunch after being nominated by members of the public.

The awards celebrated Cumbrian women doing extraordinary things in their communities.