A FORMER millhand whose campaigning won her an audience with the Prime Minister will be remembered with a fresh heritage project.

Town councillors in Nelson are set to embark on an initiative marking the life and times of local Suffragist Selina Cooper.

Using a £50,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, researchers will celebrate the achievements of the hard-working Cooper, who has a blue plaque installed at her once-home in St Mary's Street.

Her early political activities saw her become a member of the Nelson Social Democratic Federation (SDF) and she also joined the Women's Co-operative Guild.

Later she was elected to the Board of Guardians locally, on a joint SDF and Independent Labour Party (ILP) ticket.

But with her reforming zeal becoming increasingly directed towards the Suffragist movement, perhaps her crowning glory was being selected in 1910 as one of four women tasked with lobbying then-Prime Minister Herbert Asquith on equal rights,

Cllr Zafar Ali, town council chairman, said: "The town council has worked extremely hard, with the support of Gary Webb and Kevin Webb, to secure this grant for such an historical cause.

"Reviving the heritage connection with the ILP and the Suffragist movement will be invaluable for the local community."

The town council's Unity Wellbeing Centre base in Vernon Street, once home to the ILP, will be showcased as part of the wider work.

A part-time educational facilitator will work with UCLan and local students, with a major artwork of Cooper and four replica stained glass windows, bearing the hallmarks of the ILP, to be produced.

Town councillor George Adam added: "We expect there to be lots of visitors to the centre when the launch takes place."