Putting this city's incredible women on centre stage - Editor's comment

We decided to our Women of Sheffield Awards are more important and relevant in 2021 than ever but we clearly can’t invite everybody round to celebrate over afternoon tea.

So this year we have teamed up with the brilliant team at Sheffield Theatres to pay tribute in a completely new way.

Communications and fundraising director Claire Murray described the Crucible’s next production as the perfect partner for the awards.

She said: “The first performance of The Band Plays On is dedicated to the incredible women of Sheffield past and present. The Band Plays On is a new play by Chris Bush with music by stellar Sheffield artists, available to watch online from March 15 to 28. Sheffield Theatres is proud to partner with the Women of Sheffield Awards and offer all of the winners a free pass to watch this brilliant new show that celebrates the city’s history, its music and its people.”

So all you need to do now is let us know who you feel would be a worthy winner in a year like no other.

You can nominate as many women as you want, in as many categories as appropriate.

The categories are, Dorrett Buckley Greaves MBE Award for Community; Kathleen Roberts Award for Grit; Barbara Wragg Award for Charity; Winifred Gales Award for Politics; Pam Liversidge OBE Award for Engineering; Jessica Ennis-Hill Award for Sport; Marti Caine Award for Entertainment; Mary Ann Rawson Award for Education; Sarah Nulty Award for Creativity; Elizabeth Parkin Award for Entrepreneurship; Dr Helen Mary Wilson Award for Health; Dr Helen Sharman Award for Science.

We will be celebrating our winners in The Star on International Women’s Day – Monday, March 8 – and they will be invited to watch the show when it launches the following week.

There is much to look forward as we ease out of lockdown, starting with our top class theatres.

To enter: Email 80 words on who you are nominating and why to [email protected]. Include which category/categories, contact details for the nominee and their full name.

Closing date: Midnight, Sunday, February 28.

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.