YOUNG women in Preston are now more self-confident and full of self-esteem - amazingly, thanks to a billboard campaign, according to council bosses.

A report submitted to Lancashire County Council's library and lifelong learning sub-committee gave details of the project, which was designed to promote International Women Day, and said it has led to local women feeling much more free to express themselves.

The county's youth and community service invited 300 women from groups across Lancashire to work on massive billboards, each of which carried the theme 'Who is she? She is Me ... She is You'.

The result was community artists painting their thoughts on to billboards across the county, apparently challenging the typical stereotypes of women which are normally depicted on advertisement hoardings.

Preston arts community group Prescap, who were behind last year's controversial poster campaign to tell the public that disabled people can have sex, was also involved in the project.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "The project fulfilled its aims, saw a development of confidence and self-esteem in all of the young women who had taken part.

"It brought together a diverse mix of people."

He added: "The aim of the project was to develop new creative skills, have young women's artwork creatively displayed in a public space, challenge stereotypes and develop political skills which were then expressed in debate and creatively.

"A celebration evening at County Hall showed just how much the women involved have gained more confidence."

The artwork is now going to be recreated in a set of postcards and a Millennium calendar.

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