Outstanding women in awards honour (From Western Telegraph)

Outstanding women in awards honour

6:18pm Monday 13th October 2008 in

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Artists, sports stars and TV presenters were among guests who honoured outstanding women at an awards ceremony.

Olympic gold medal winners Victoria Pendleton, Nicole Cooke and Christine Ohuruogu joined celebrities including Tracey Emin and TV presenter Fern Britton at the Women of the Year Awards in London's Guildhall.

Winners included Sara Payne and Shy Keenan, who joined forces to campaign for parents to be given information on paedophiles living in their area.

Mrs Payne's daughter Sarah was murdered by paedophile Roy Whiting in 2000, while Ms Keenan was sexually abused by her stepfather and sold into a paedophile ring.

Ms Keenan secretly filmed her stepfather confessing to the abuse for BBC's Newsnight, leading to his arrest and two others.

Presenting their award, human rights lawyer Baroness Helena Kennedy QC said: "Both Shy and Sara have campaigned tirelessly and with dignity to protect the rights of children. They have exposed themselves to extremely testing and occasionally threatening situations in order to ensure that others do not suffer as they have done. Their work together and support for each other and parents everywhere is exemplary and deserves recognition."

Another winner was Nina Barough, who received the Women of the Year Outstanding Achievement Award for setting up the Walk the Walk cancer charity which has raised more than £43 million to date.

Presenting her accolade Fern Britton said: "Nina's spirit and determination has shown how one very normal woman can do so much. She has created a nationally recognised fundraising event, demonstrating entrepreneurial flair and an impressive ability to make things happen."

More than 400 women were invited to the lunch, and award winners were nominated by a panel include Joan Armatrading, Maureen Lipman, Doreen Lawrence and Glenys Kinnock.