Helen Wright

A fascinating account of a woman's determination to create a fairer society, promote her social justice agenda and improve the city.

Helen won the prestigious Lifetime Legend Award and received this magnificent tribute at a ceremony in Edinburgh on the 21st November 2023.

See award details here

The story of Helen's work in the city and throughout the country is told looking through her eyes in many of the posts she has held: a councillor for 44 years, convener of social work, a national official of her trade union, a magistrate, a prison visitor, a member of various boards, national convenerships, lord provost, community justice leader, charity worker and other positions and roles.

With huge public support, Helen continues to serve the people of Dundee and throughout the country. "... inspiring! a lesson, and encouragement, for anyone striving to make positive change or facing difficult challenges ..."

From an early age, and long before her election to the Council, Helen campaigned for equality for women and fought to address many of the social, economic and political problems facing working people, and the particular issues affecting women. Helen championed women's issues and became the UK national chair of the women's committee of a large male-dominated trade union in the 1970s. This experience was to serve Helen well when she became the only female member of the Council's ruling Labour Group when elected in 1980. In addition to her wider social and political work, Helen continued to make progress on issues concerning women and women's representation.

One chapter of a new publication will take a fascinating look at Helen's time as the city's first female lord provost. It is an enthralling account of a woman's determination to make positive change whilst constantly fighting bitter rivals who undermined her at every opportunity as part of their campaign to remove her from the post and replace her with one of their own. Helen's heroic stance against vested interests, male-dominated institutions, brutal opposition, secretive societies and, as events continue to show, the narrow personal ambitions, egos and the narcissism of opponents will be shown. Dundee had to wait for a woman lord provost to change the political culture and to bring more women into meaningful political activity. Helen's magnificent stance against fierce opposition changed things forever and helped consolidate the place of Dundee women at the highest levels. Helen had once again blazed the trail for other women to follow. With more twists, turns, plots, frame-ups and conspiracies than a political intrigue fantasy, the real story is revealed about the orchestrated campaign of traps and manoeuvres designed to undermine Helen at every turn. "... it was often said that Dundee would never have a female lord provost ... it was to her great credit she achieved so much, faced the challenges head on and, with massive public support, continues to serve the people of Dundee and beyond". "... with such a relentless campaign it was only a matter of time until opponents and opportunists manufactured a pretext to unite against her" "... one national newspaper investigated and reported a masonic plot to remove Helen from the lord provost post ...". The role of some sections of the media will also be put under the spotlight. Some fanciful theories and accounts have since been written of events with some trying to justify the role they played but Helen's publication will reveal the facts, which will shock some, embarrass a few, surprise others and confirm what most people suspected! "... inspiring! a lesson, and encouragement, for anyone facing challenges ..." Watch this page for details of publication. Further information and an abridged CV can also be viewed here.