From Yorkshire Evening Post to No. 11: A proud, emotional tribute to literary icon Barbara Taylor Bradford

Female leaders from across television, the creative industries and business gathered in Number 11 to mark the television adaptation of literary powerhouse Barbara’s best-selling rags-to-riches novel inspired by her Yorkshire roots.

Hosted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the event honoured the Leeds-born author whose international bestselling novels have earned her a place among the most influential British writers of the 20th and 21st centuries.

While gathered in the capital’s political powerhouse it was a stark reminder of just how far trailblazers like Barbara have come to pave the way for so many women in the decades that have followed.

Her remarkable journey saw her join the Yorkshire Evening Post after leaving school at the age of 15 for the typing pool.

Determined to make her mark in a male dominated industry she soon became a reporter on our newspaper before becoming the first Woman’s Editor at 18 before leaving for the bright lights of Fleet Street and beyond.

And the creative scene in out city provided the nurturing ground for her talent with her being in cahoots with other Leeds literary giants of her time, having lived and interacted with Alan Bennett (a school friend), Peter O’Toole and the father of journalism Keith Waterhouse.

At the heart of Barbara’s writing were complex female protagonists at a time when the industry often sidelined them.

For her, the central theme of her work was to validate the demand and most important of all the voices of women-centred stories with strong female leads who simply refused to stay on the sidelines.

It was testament to her grit, ambition and resilience that Barbara carried that strength of character and spirit that comes with being born and bred in Yorkshire throughout her career.

She never forgot her roots that shaped that strength of character that served her so well - even from a young age when she managed to wrangle herself two library cards for Armley Library just to make sure she had access to plenty of books to nourish her love of reading.

It comes as new figures reveal that women make up close to half of the UK workforce, but are consistently under‐represented in senior leadership across the creative and cultural industries, highlighting the importance of diversity and representation both on and off screen.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves - the first female Chancellor, said: “Women are driving the global success of Britain’s creative industries - in studios, on stage, and in business.

”I am committed to backing that talent, breaking down barriers to opportunity and ensuring the sector continues to create good jobs and deliver for working people across the country.”

Vicki Downey, trustee of The Barbara Taylor Bradford Trust, said: “We are honoured to see A Woman of Substance recognised in such a distinguished setting.

“Barbara Taylor Bradford’s writing has always championed the strength, ambition and determination of women forging their own path, themes that remain as relevant today as ever.

“As a proud Yorkshire woman, Barbara would have been especially pleased to see this celebration hosted by the UK’s first female Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, MP for Leeds West, where Barbara spent her formative years.”

And as I left the one of the most photographed black doors in the UK behind to head back up to Leeds it struck me just what a privilege it is to be the youngest female editor-in-chief of the Yorkshire Evening Post.

And even more of an honour to be blazing my own trail on the title that defined and shaped the literary career of such a female icon like Barbara Taylor Bradford.

We hope we continue to do her proud all these years later.