A SPECIAL lunch will be held on Thursday to belatedly mark International Women's Day.

The lunch, at the Banqueting Suite, City Hall, was originally arranged for March 8, which is International Women's Day, but it had to be called off due to snowy weather. It will be hosted by the former Lord Mayor of Bradford Abid Hussain and his wife Shahnaz Akhtar.

The guest speaker will be Gill Arnold JP, who is Deputy Chairman of the West Yorkshire Magistrates' Bench and founder of Bradford Community Champions.

The scheme sees local people from different walks of life visit schools and talk to pupils about how they have made a success of their lives.

A toiletry collection for women's charities across the city will also be held.