In 1918, the Representation of the People Act gave the first British women the right to vote. Now, 100 years on, processions will honour the women who campaigned for years to achieve this landmark change in women's rights - and we will be there carrying our beautiful handmade banner! The act of working on such a big project with tiny bits of needle and thread and with fabrics we could find has helped me to relate more to the effort the women went to 100 years ago and has made me so thankful for what they did. The difference is that now we could do it whilst drinking tea and will hold our banners without fear of the consequences.
These workshops have been inspiring, engaging and empowering. I have loved being part of another community project and am excited to be a part of the march this Sunday. I would not be bold enough to take part in something like this on my own, so I feel that the group has given me strength to go and feel part of something.
Our banner workshops were based in Bridport and so we took the historic rope and net making of the town and used this in our banner. It was fascinating to see how the rope is made and great to work with other women of all ages and artists with different skills.
The workshop has really inspired me to organise something similar for girls and young women in my local area. I was among only 2 of us in the group who were of a younger generation and so I want to get more young people involved with something like this and thinking about equality and using mixed media to express themselves. I am trying to see if I can get something like this happening in the library where I work, as we have all kinds of groups and craft sessions for little children and reading groups for older people, but nothing to engage young people! The use of textile, fabric, colour and words are such a powerful way to make a statement and say something important, and the act of working together on something creates a feeling of strength and a shared sense of achievement.
This workshop has also linked me back to some of the people I collaborated with in curating the art exhibition for an event called Mind Fest last year, and we are exploring ideas on how we could do something more interactive like this in the community for wellbeing. I am so buzzing with ideas and I love that I am building up a network of people to work with on different projects.
Even though the procession is this weekend, I think a banner could be made any time and I think people should get together in communities and do this! So there is a link on how to do it here.
There have been some amazing banners made over the country and you can view them here.
I can't wait to see them in the flesh on Sunday!
I'm not sure where all my good photos have disappeared to, but here are a few pics from our ideas and making process over the last month and the final banner which we finished yesterday. I hope to get some better pictures to share on Sunday.
And this bit didn't make it into the banner, but my personal favourite idea:
