A SOUTH Lakeland woman has been selected to attend Parliament for her work helping others around the world.

Violet Brown, of Arnside, was put forward by the ONE Campaign as part of an initiative to highlight the hundreds of thousands of women across the UK who give their time and skills to help people in some of the world’s poorest countries – either by volunteering abroad, raising funds to help or highlighting the issues at home.

Violet is a local campaigner for global gender rights around the world and for Days for Girls. It creates hygiene kits for young women, teaching them about health education, offering training for when they grow older and providing wider support for hygiene needs in the poorest communities.

“The Arnside Days for Girls Team brings together a lively community of stitchers, knitters, and chatterers twice a month," said Violet. "We send menstruation kits to developing countries because many girls there cannot attend school for the duration of their period through lack of money, availability of supplies and inadequate toilet facilities."

Violet will travel to Parliament for a celebration event just days before International Women’s Day (March 8). There she will meet South Lakes MP Tim Farron and highlight the work done by local women to help others all across the world.

More than a hundred people from around the UK were put forward as international women, with doctors, nurses, campaigners and shop volunteers all being nominated by others in their communities who admire their work.

The five women selected to travel to Parliament will represent these other women to mark the efforts of all international women who help make Britain great.

Romilly Greenhill, UK Director of the ONE Campaign, said: “All of the people nominated are international women and should be proud of the work they do in supporting others in the world’s poorest countries.

“Girls and women are most affected by extreme poverty, so by working to raise awareness of the issues and support the people in developing countries, these international women are having a global impact.”

ONE is a campaigning and advocacy organisation of more than nine million people taking action to end extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa.