A CHARITY which carries out international work to support needy women has been given a financial boost by a special literary event inspired by famed North East suffragette Emily Davison.

Popular author Janet MacLeod Trotter recently published a new edition of one of her novels to help mark the looming 100th anniversary of the death of the women’s rights campaigner in June 1913.

Janet, who lives in Morpeth, Northumberland, brought out the revised edition of No Greater Love – which was originally called The Suffragette – to help her home town officially record the milestone.

She did a book signing event in the town’s Rutherfords department store, which has resulted in a £200 donation to Oxfam.

The event took place on International Women’s Day, March 8, and £5 from each book sold was donated to Oxfam by Rutherfords and Janet. The respected charity funds and supports many projects for poverty-stricken and disadvantaged women around the globe.

Yesterday Rutherfords co-owner Jane Rutherford said: “This was the first time we have held a book signing and it was a huge success, with a lot of people coming in to meet Janet and buy her book.

“It’s fantastic that we have also been able to help a major charity with a donation from all the books sold in the store.”

Janet, who has published 16 books including the new paperback version of No Greater Love, said: “It was a really successful day and everyone seemed to enjoy the occasion. The sales went really well and because Oxfam was the chosen charity in Morpeth for International Women’s Day, we wanted to make a good donation to support its fundraising.”

Emily Davison, who was originally from Blackheath, moved with her mother to Longhorsley, near Morpeth, when her father died. A leading figure in the campaign for women’s right to vote, she died after running out in front of King George V’s horse Anmer during the 1913 Epsom Derby.

She suffered a fractured skull and internal injuries, and died in hospital four days later. She is buried in a family plot at St Mary’s Church in Morpeth.

Janet’s original The Suffragette novel was given a completely new ending for the revised edition. It is described as a heart-rending story of one woman’s fight for justice and love. It tells the tale of Maggie Beaton, who was raised in the slums of Edwardian Tyneside and joins the suffragette movement. Emily Davison features as a background character.