The 2022 SheInspires Awards’ night due to be held at the Bolton Stadium Hotel on November 24 is set to be a record-breaker.

More than 500 people will attend the Premier Suite on the night with thousands more expected online as part of the awards’ global audience.

And around 25 women with their teams will be flying into Manchester especially for the event from Germany, Spain, United Arab Emirates, India, America, South Africa and Denmark.

They will be finalists in six of the 18 categories that have attracted 2,306 overall entries for the eighth annual awards, which have grown exponentially each year.

“Many of the finalists coming here from abroad booked their tickets after a really positive experience in the judging,” explained awards’ organiser Gulnaz Brennan.

“They enjoyed this so much that they wanted to be a physical part of the awards on the night - which is remarkable when you realise how far some of them will have had to travel.”

Last year, the event started by Gulnaz Brennan as part of the Women in Neighbourhoods’ movement eight years ago, was thrown open to other countries for the first time.

The result was a mixture of winners receiving their awards in person and learning of their success via Zoom from their homes around the world. “It was a really exciting night,” added Gulnaz. “So more people wanted to be a part of that in Bolton this year.”

For the first time, there will be a special Women in Health and Medical Services award. This is open to professionals in all areas of healthcare including the ambulance service.

The winner will be able to give £10,000 to a healthcare charity of their choice, donated by the University of Bolton.

The headline sponsor of the awards is Stanmore Insurance Ltd from Little Lever and the awards are held in partnership with the University of Bolton and Bolton Council. “We’d also like to give a huge welcome to Bolton Sixth Form College and to ICICI Bank UK Plc who have joined our sponsor list, supporting and celebrating women,” stated Gulnaz.