Inspirational women brighten up our social media feeds every single day.
To mark 100 years since women were granted the right to vote, we have put together a list of ten Twitter and Instagram users making a difference in Suffolk and north Essex.
There were so many to choose from, so whittling down the list to ten was no mean feat.
From a former Essex student tweeting about her experiences on the Mars mission to a Suffolk acid attack victim continuing her fight to ban underage sales, here are our top female social media stars.
Lowestoft acid attack victim Adele Bellis
Beautician Adele Bellis’ ear melted off when Jason Harrison threw sulphuric acid over her in a savage attack that left her with severe scarring.
Harrison did so because he was following orders from her controlling ex-boyfriend Anthony Riley – and ever since, Miss Bellis has spoken out to slam short sentences commonly given to acid attackers.
She penned a book about her experiences, called Brave, telling how she rebuilt her life.
• Her social media feed @AdeleBellis is full of inspiring quotes and messages from fans.
Rural Coffee Caravan director Ann Osborn
Her Twitter bio explains it all – dedicated volunteer Ann has put all her efforts into trying to end loneliness and spread kindness in her community.
She will typically tweet about events in the area that those who feel lonely can go along to, and juggles this feed with the Rural Coffee Caravan account, followed by more than 3,000 people.
• Ann can be found tweeting at @Annie_OsbBiologist and former University of Essex student Anushree Srivastava
This former Essex student’s Twitter feed is out of this world – literally.
Anushree Srivastava made headlines in 2016 when she joined the Mars mission simulation in the Utah desert just days after graduating from the University of Essex.
She jetted off on the mission after completing a Master’s degree.
Her Twitter feed features photos and videos from her exploration, including this video which shows her driving 20km in a 14kg spacesuit.
• Follow Anushree on TwitterBreakfast queen and lifestyle writer Emily Scott
Self-confessed avocado advocate and egg enthusiast Emily Scott from Suffolk has accumulated a huge 88,000 Instagram followers over the last few years.
Sharing colourful snaps of what she ate for breakfast, the lifestyle blogger has accrued quite the fan base.
• Brighten up your Instagram feed by following Emily @WhatIAteForBreakfastIpswich Hedgehog Officer Ali North
Known for posting pictures of cute hedgehogs, Ipswich’s very own Ali North is on a mission to make the town Britain’s most hedgehog-friendly.
She also shares tips on how to make your garden better habitats for the tiny creatures.
• To see more, follow Ali @IpswichHogsThe Distressed Artist, Bon Collins
Woodbridge-based Bon works in acrylic and canvas and challenges herself to explore how physical and mental health can be depicted in art.
Tweeting under the alias The Distressed Artist, Bon’s followers will catch a glimpse of her artwork, which often pops up in galleries across Suffolk.
• You can follow her @DistressedArtJules Furness, Vlogger
This Ipswich-based vlogger uses her Instagram, which is packed with colourful posts, to promote her YouTube channel, which has been nominated for and won several awards.
Subscribers can follow Jules’ IVF journey, and tune in to popular vlogs – typical uploads include ‘Things I wish I’d known as a teenager’ and ‘Speed cleaning routine’.• Follow Jules on Instagram @itsjulesfurnessThe Mother Hub, Essex Girl campaigners Juliet Thomas and Natasha Sawkins
These two campaigning mothers from the heart of Essex are leading the campaign to end an age-old stereotype associated with the county.
Through their Twitter account @TheMotherHub, Juliet Thomas and Natasha Sawkins have recruited women from around the globe to explain why they, too, are Essex girls and proud of it.
The pair met with dictionary bosses to remove the derogatory definition for the phrase and persuaded them to swap it with a new one.
• Follow their successes @TheMotherHubMy Happy Hut, Anna Baria
Dovercourt-based Anna hit the headlines in 2016 when her beautiful beach hut My Happy Hut was crowned the best in Britain.
Living so close to the coastline, beach huts are a joy many of us in Suffolk and north Essex get to experience – and Anna’s striking Instagram feed for the hut is full of design inspiration.
In recent months, she has also added the tropical-themed My Hula Hut to her beach hut portfolio.
• Scout out more beach hut inspiration by following Anna @MyHappyHutEast of England Ambulance Service paramedic Fraer Stevenson
This frontline paramedic has helped to spearhead a campaign aiming to ‘put back the heart’ into the NHS.
Her Twitter feed gives a unique insight into the daily life of an ambulance worker, and places a lot of emphasis on mental health.
• You can find her tweeting @FraerStevenson
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