YORK is to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote with a special York Women’s Conference to “educate, inform and inspire”.

The event will take place on Saturday, April 21 but today, the centenary of laws passed allowing some women to vote, the first tickets for York Women’s Conference are being released.

The one-day conference at the Priory Street Centre will welcome speakers including Sam Smethers, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, and Rachael Maskell, York’s first female MP.

Organisers say they want the conference to “educate, inform and inspire” women from across the region - looking at how far women have come in the past century, and how far there is still to go to achieve gender equality.

They also say they want to bring together women’s organisations; students at school, college and university level; community and faith groups.

Ms Maskell said: “I fully support the initiative to put on a women’s conference in 2018, 100 years since women won the right to vote.

“The conference will be the largest event in York for women and the programme will focus on engaging women in gender equality issues though a programme of inspiring speakers, seminars and workshops and hopes to include drama and film too.

“The day has been designed to facilitate participation in civic and political life, building confidence of women and tackling the challenges facing women in York or beyond.”

On February 6 1918 the Representation of the People Act gave voting rights to women over 30, with property; and all men aged over 21 - dramatically extending the numbers of people entitled to vote.

Later in 1918, more legislation was passed allowing women to run for Parliament, and in 1928 all women over 21 were given the vote on equal terms as men.

Key note speaker at the York conference will be Sam Smethers of the Fawcett Society - the UK’s leading charity campaigning for gender equality and women’s rights.

The day will also see extracts from “Maiden Speeches”, the play devised by poet Hannah Davies, Eleanor Rhode and Barbara Marten, which will be performed at York Theatre Royal in March.

Tickets for the conference cost £20 full price and £10 for those on low incomes, visit Eventbrite.co.uk.