The inspirational women of 2022

From feeding struggling kids to saving lives, these incredible women restored our faith during dark times

- Sophie Halle-Richards

FOR many people across our city, the last 12 months have been incredibly difficult. As we emerged from lockdown and began to settle back to normality - the cost of living crisis hit.

But among times of darkness, a number of incredible women across Greater Manchester restored our faith in the world.

Many of them come from completely different backgrounds. Some have were born and raised here, others found shelter in our city during times of need.

From the restaurant owner who used her small business to feed struggling kids this summer, to the intensive care consultant who saved lives during the pandemic, these women have all made incredible sacrifices to help others.

And from the woman who used her cancer diagnosis to help others, to the grandmother who flew to help people in Ukraine, these are the M.E.N's most inspirational women of 2022.

FLORENCE COKE Florence's Caribbean takeaway in Stockport is a firm favourite of celebrities including England footballers and Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown.

But during this year's cost of living crisis, the beloved owner of Mama Flo's became the rock of the local community providing free meals to scores of hungry schoolchildren during the summer holidays.

Queues were reported all the way down the street and fans of the takeaway worried Florence would be negatively impacted by taking the brunt of the cost at a time when businesses across the region were struggling.

Hungry kids flocked to Mama Flo's to enjoy a free meal of chicken, chips, rice and peas.

As well as a hot home-cooked meal, children also received a goodie bag.

Florence, who used to sell copies of the Manchester Evening GAYS ers CUE adidas News outside the newspaper's offices on Deansgate, gave up her job on the perfume counters at Selfridges in 2010 to open her first takeaway in Gorton. She moved to the current premises in Buxton Road, Stockport, in 2013.