Jane Kennedy, MP

TWO local women joined Jane Kennedy for a special reception at Downing Street to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Jane invited extraordinary women from her Wavertree constituency to meet Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah.

Paula Nolan works for a voluntary organisation called HEAT,(Health Energy Advice Team) in Kensington, which aims to promote ggod health and education, tackle poverty and provide free advice about welfare benefits, housing, debt and energy efficiency.

The HEAT team are very successful in helping vulnerable people in Liverpool.

Louise Massamba is a retired social worker who helped form a pre and post-natal support group for Asylum Seekers.

Many of the women she helps are young and very vulnerable after being raped in their home country. Others have mental health problems and are often detached from their children. 

Jane said: "Both Paula and Louise are extremely dedicated. Paula has helped a number of my very vulnerable constituents and deserves to be rewarded for her commitment to her job and to the community.

"Louise has used both her social work and nursing experience to help extremely traumatised women come to terms with their situation. She  works in partnership with a local immigration solicitor and a local priest to tackle their problems.

"I was very proud to have both women alongside me in No 10."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: “It is great to be able to meet so many inspiring women today; women who are making a real difference in their communities day in day out.

“The women I have met today are an inspiration to me and to the whole Labour government and their achievements are a reminder that when we act together, real lives really change."