ACTIVIST and trade unionist Kiri Tunks was honoured with a prestigious anti-sexism award at the NEU’s annual conference today.

The former president of the National Union of Teachers was given the Annie Hidgon Award, named after the Norfolk schoolmistress whose fight to improve education in the early 20^th century became a major cause in the union movement.

Ms Tunks thanked the NEU for the award — presented to her by joint general secretary Kevin Courtney— and paid tribute to the union’s members undertaking the “gruelling” work of challenging sexism in modern-day Britain.

Addressing delegates in Bournemouth, she called on her “sisters to do what legions of women have done before you.

“You will need to join together, support each other and organise,” the co-founder and director of Woman’s Place UK stressed.

“You will be attacked, you will be undermined and you will face abuse and harassment, but you will become stronger and you will prevail.”