Key Points
- Gulnaz Brennan, founder of the SheInspires Awards, was named one of the Daily Mail’s Inspirational Women of the Year in 2025.
- Brennan’s initiatives focus on empowering women—locally, nationally, and internationally—especially regarding financial awareness and independence.
- The Daily Mail award recognises her “Let's Talk Money” campaign, supporting thousands of women and girls in taking control of their finances.
- Brennan’s campaign includes seminars, podcasts, webinars, and networking events, and she has recently launched financial workshops targeting girls as young as preschool age.
- Her motivation stemmed from witnessing friends facing financial abuse or ignorance—stories she recounted in statements quoted by media.
- Gulnaz Brennan said the award is a motivational acknowledgement encouraging her to maximise her efforts further.
- The SheInspires Awards, founded by Brennan in Bolton, have run for a decade and are lauded for celebrating women’s achievements at all levels.
- The Daily Mail Awards selected five women from national nominations as “Inspirational Women of the Year,” with Brennan among the honourees.
- The She Inspires Foundation and Empower 50K mission are further active dimensions of Brennan’s work.
- Brennan’s win has received major positive coverage across local and national media and her own initiatives’ platforms.
Gulnaz Brennan, founder of the SheInspires Awards and a resident of Blackrod, has received a prestigious national accolade after being named one of the United Kingdom’s most Inspirational Women of the Year at the Daily Mail Awards 2025. The recognition, given by one of the country’s most widely read newspapers, highlights her ongoing campaign to empower women and girls to take control of their financial futures and their lives.
Why Did the Daily Mail Honour Gulnaz Brennan?
As reported by the team at Yahoo News UK, Gulnaz Brennan—a former teacher based in Bolton—was selected by the Daily Mail as one of just five women across the nation to be recognised for “going the extra mile for others.” Her primary accolade was awarded for her pioneering work encouraging women to achieve financial independence and literacy.
According to coverage in Yahoo News UK, the Daily Mail described how Brennan’s passion for advocacy grew from personal anecdotes shared by friends, many of whom relinquished control of finances to their partners.
“The awareness of how many friends allowed their partners to manage their finances was what ignited the feminist fire within her,”
wrote Yahoo News, referencing statements attributed to the Daily Mail.
What Is the 'Let's Talk Money' Campaign and Its Impact?
Yahoo News UK reported that Gulnaz Brennan’s major contribution is the “Let's Talk Money” campaign, which she initiated upon discovering the extent of financial hardship and vulnerability women could face in unhealthy relationships. Brennan recalled disturbing stories, such as one acquaintance unable to afford groceries because her ex-partner had run up debts on her credit card, and another facing homelessness after learning about loans taken in her name by an erstwhile partner.
“I was devastated by these stories,” Brennan recounted, in remarks attributed to Yahoo News UK. She expressed worry that
“too many women lack knowledge about finances and feel uneasy discussing money,”
and emphasised,
“It is crucial to maintain control over our financial situations and not allow anyone—regardless of their relationship to us—to take charge”.
Expanding on her mission, Brennan has led monthly seminars, podcasts, webinars, and regular networking events, reaching thousands of women to date. She recently launched specialised financial workshops aimed at children, with the long-term objective of instilling financial confidence in girls from as young as preschool age.
“We must reach children as early as possible to foster a healthy mindset towards finances,”
Brennan stressed, adding,
“A society where girls are financially empowered is one where they can steer their own futures”.
Who Is Gulnaz Brennan and What Is Her Broader Contribution?
As profiled by SheInspires.org.uk, Gulnaz Brennan is the founder of the She Inspires Foundation and the visionary behind the annual SheInspires Awards, which celebrate and champion the achievements of women at local, national, and international levels. Her career began in education but evolved into advocacy after witnessing first-hand the gender disparities in status and empowerment.
SheInspires.org.uk celebrates Brennan’s achievements in empowering women, ensuring that the Awards are now viewed as a platform amplifying worthy voices that might otherwise have remained unheard. The group’s website reiterates the impact of the Empower 50K mission, aiming to reach at least 50,000 women and girls through various empowerment initiatives.
What Are the SheInspires Awards and Why Are They Significant?
According to reporting by She Inspires Awards and SheInspires.org.uk, the SheInspires Awards were established a decade ago and have since become a hallmark event in Bolton’s civic and social calendar. The purpose of the initiative is to spotlight outstanding women, not just locally but on a wider stage, with categories covering diverse fields and backgrounds.
The recent news highlighted that her inspiration for the Awards came from witnessing and recognising unsung heroines in day-to-day life—individuals making meaningful contributions that rarely see the limelight. The celebration this year also coincided with other significant events and launches, underlining the Awards’ expanding influence.
How Did Gulnaz Brennan React to Winning the Daily Mail Award?
As documented by Yahoo News UK, Gulnaz Brennan’s reaction to her award was one of immense pride and humility.
“Winning this award has left me feeling elated. It serves as a recognition of my efforts—a true encouragement to strive for even more,”
she stated according to Yahoo News UK’s reporting.
The attribution of the honour was further echoed in direct statements released on She Inspires’ own communications platforms, confirming the significance of the recognition for Brennan and the foundation.
How Does the Broader Community View Brennan’s Work?
Yahoo News UK and She Inspires Foundation publications both note a groundswell of support and admiration for Gulnaz Brennan within the local Bolton community and among national peer networks. Her influence has stretched beyond women’s advocacy; She Inspires Awards and associated charitable efforts have energised social initiatives and encouraged collaboration between different sectors.
One notable example includes Brennan’s support for community charities—such as Saving Threads CIC, which raised £40,000 for local causes—with her Awards platform providing further visibility for grassroots innovation.
What’s Next for Gulnaz Brennan and the SheInspires Platform?
In remarks highlighted both by Yahoo News UK and her own organisation’s updates, Brennan states that the Daily Mail Award is not the culmination, but rather a
“true encouragement to strive for even more”.
As the SheInspires Foundation and Empower 50K mission continue to grow, further expansion of outreach programmes, financial literacy seminars, and intergenerational empowerment projects are expected.
According to Gulnaz Brennan’s own LinkedIn profile, the vision is to
“reach 50,000 women and girls through the Empower 50K mission”
while maintaining a local and global focus on impactful programming that changes lives for the better.
What Is the Significance of the Daily Mail’s “Inspirational Women of the Year” Award?
According to the Yahoo News UK team’s description of the Daily Mail Award, the accolade recognises women who fundamentally improve the lives of others, chosen from nominations submitted by the newspaper’s wide readership. Only five are selected, making it a highly exclusive and competitive honour.
By including Gulnaz Brennan among its 2025 Inspirational Women of the Year, the Daily Mail underscores both the urgency of women’s financial empowerment and the power of grassroots leadership initiated from communities like Bolton.
What Statements from the Media and Gulnaz Brennan Emphasise the Importance of This Achievement?
- As Yahoo News UK reported, referencing a statement from the Daily Mail: “Awareness of how many friends allowed their partners to manage their finances was what ignited the feminist fire within her [Brennan].”
- In her own words quoted by Yahoo News UK, Gulnaz Brennan said: “One woman couldn't afford to do her grocery shopping because her ex-partner had accumulated debts on her credit card. Another found out after her relationship ended that her ex had taken out a loan in her name. Burdened by his debt, she was on the verge of losing her home. It was devastating.”
- Brennan continued, “We must reach children as early as possible to foster a healthy mindset towards finances… A society where girls are financially empowered is one where they can steer their own futures.”
- “Winning this award has left me feeling elated. It serves as a recognition of my efforts—a true encouragement to strive for even more,” said Brennan, as reported by Yahoo News UK.