THERE were no capes or masks in evidence but there was certainly no shortage of women capable of super-heroic feats at the 16th Cumbria Woman of the Year Award.
Among the 60 nominees gathered at Grasmere for the prize dinner last Thursday was Jane Brook of Orton co-founder of Orton's trailblazing farmers' market the UK's first officially accredited market and this year's Farmers' Market of the Year.
Ms Brook who also finds time to be a full-time education consultant and Eden district councillor was one of four women short-listed for the prestigious award.
However, the eventual winner was Kerry Maxwell, chief executive of the Whitehaven Community Trust. She was praised by organisers for turning around the lives of countless disillusioned and disaffected youngsters.
Mrs Maxwell helped renovate an old Market Hall into a coffee bar for kids which evolved into a community centre and training facility for youngsters. She was also instrumental in setting up two hostels for homeless teenagers.
"She's a very special lady," said Cumbria Women of the Year Award committee member Elizabeth Ingram. "She's available 24-hours-a-day which is far beyond her job and she's taken a lot of young people off the streets and given them purpose."
Mrs Ingram also paid tribute to the short-listed Ms Brook as a woman who had "made a real difference to Orton" not only through the farmers' market but through other community work as well.
The farmers' market has won a string of awards as well as earning a pat on the back from Prince Charles. Indeed Ms Brook who recently stepped down as market organiser - is held in such high regard by those involved in the market, that stall-holders had a collection to send her on a well-deserved holiday. Such was the whip-round it funded a five-day trip to St Petersburg.
Other Woman of the Year nominees included Karen Bowen, of Eden District Council, and Patricia Shuttleworth from Appleby.
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