Service user who stole the show at women's awards

Women of Distinction were honoured at Jewish Care's annual WoD fundraising lunch on Monday. But the biggest ovation from the 200 guests at the Institute of Directors went to service user Susan Schlaen, a resident at the charity's Sidney Corob House for adults with mental health issues.

Ms Schlaen was diagnosed with lung cancer last month, an illness which her father died from when she was six-years-old. "After my father died, my mother went into a depression," she recalled. "She couldn't cope. I went on to teach PE in Hackney for 15 years [but] I had my first manic depressive attack and ended up in hospital for 17 weeks."

She spent time in care homes "where I was abused by management - I lost all my top teeth", before moving into the Hampstead home after meeting a Jewish Care social worker. "I've always wanted a home but never had one. I feel so much safer and secure now."

Home Secretary Theresa May, who was the guest speaker, thanked Ms Schlaen for sharing her story. She said that the government was committed to breaking down gender barriers by "keeping up pressure in the private and public sector and to get companies to agree principles to help ensure female staff are treated equality. If women started businesses at the same rate as men, there would be an extra one million female entrepreneurs."