As I walked down Chapeltown Road in the dark towards the old Sheepscar intersection I held a flaming torch aloft, along with a crowd of other women. We were part of the Reclaim the Night movement to draw attention to women’s safety, and the lack of it.

At one point I looked down at my sleeve and was horrified to see it was strewn with wax that had dripped down from the torches and hardened into lumps. I can’t remember how I got rid of the wax once I returned home. No doubt everyone else was waxed too!

The other personal highlight of the march was a brief stop at the Roscoe pub, which still existed then, so that I could warm myself with a Bushmills whiskey – a favourite tipple in my youth.

It must have been November 12th, 1977. I am sorry that we are still having to campaign for women’s safety both in the home and on the streets, but those marches certainly gave the issue wider attention, including the police. We were extremely conscious of course of the backdrop at the time - the so-called ‘ripper’ murders - but we knew there were other issues too. Its legacy is women continuing to stand up for themselves, in Leeds and beyond.

I am proud to have been part of that and see similar campaigns that continue to be a focus for women of all ages in Leeds.