A BLUE plaque was unveiled this week to celebrate the life and work of a philanthropist who dedicated her life to helping women in poverty.

The plaque was installed at Lancaster House in Hornyold Road, where Edith Smallwood lived for many years, and which is still the headquarters of the Smallwood Trust.

Miss Smallwood, the daughter of a Yorkshire banker, inherited a large sum of money at the age of 16 and believed passionately in helping those less fortunate than herself.

In 1886, she founded the Smallwood Trust, which was then known as the Society for the Assistance of Ladies in Reduced Circumstances, and began collecting additional sums of money to benefit women who, through ill-health or old age, were unable to support themselves.

She also encouraged these women to help themselves by selling items of needlework such as embroidery, knitting and tapestry.

Miss Smallwood first lived in Malvern from 1897 until 1909, when she moved to London until the outbreak of the First World War.

She returned to Malvern in 1916, and after the war she spent her time between Malvern and London.

Throughout this time, the Smallwood Trust continued to be based in Malvern, and it has operated for over 100 years from Lancaster House. The Queen became patron of the trust in 1952.

The plaque was unveiled by mayor Cynthia Palmer, and is one of only 14 per cent of blue plaques across the country that honour women.

Trust chief executive Paul Carbury said: "Miss Smallwood’s incredible legacy lives on today.

"The trust’s mission is to enable women on low incomes to be financially resilient; it does this by providing grants for both individual women in need, and organisations that support women, either through local projects or policy work aimed at improving economic outcomes for women."