Twins Izzy and Sophia Kilburn (13) have successfully campaigned and fundraised for a blue plaque in Brighton for pioneering lawyer Helena Normanton. The plaque was unveiled to an enthusiastic crowd, which packed the street, on the afternoon of 18th June at 4 Clifton Place, Brighton. A girls’ choir of students from Brighton College (the twins’ school) sang “This Girl’s on Fire” to start the event. Izzy…
We met River Isaac, our Child Ambassador, during the period of COVID lockdown when she asked us to help her teacher to organise an on-line sculpture class about Mary Clarke for Balfour School in Brighton. This we did and subsequently asked River to become our first Child Ambassador for the Mary Clarke Statue Appeal. Since then she has helped us with fundraising events and lobbied councillors…
On 7th April, we launched a post-pandemic appeal we are naming RaiseMary1000, which was inspired by writer Peter James, our newest Patron. We have received many hundreds of smaller donations, but only a few larger ones. Just recently we were grateful to receive two separate donations of £1,000, one of which was from Peter. It occurred to us that if we could identify just thirty five people to…
Thank you to ITV Meridian News and Charlotte Wilkins for their coverage this weekend of the wonderful fundraising efforts of Izzy and Sophia Kilburn, our most recently appointed Junior Ambassadors. If you haven’t already seen it, please take a moment to watch the film. You can find the link below. As we reported earlier, the twins have been fundraising to erect blue plaques in Brighton, to…
We are pleased to announce that 12 year old twin sisters Isabel (Izzy) and Sophia Kilburn have become our most recent Child Ambassadors. They live in Ovingdean and attend Brighton College Prep School. The girls love music and are accomplished young sportswomen. Izzy focusses on hockey, while Sophia prefers netball and, in particular, cricket. Sophia plays cricket for the Brighton College boys first team. The…
Our Appeal has attracted widespread community backing and has the cross party support of the City Council. It has a number of prominent Patrons, whose support we are immensely proud and honoured to call our own. However, we think our most recent Patron is probably the most famous. We are delighted that the best selling author Peter James has agreed to serve as a Patron…
Denise Dutton, our wonderful sculptor, has offered to make a very limited edition of duplicate bronze maquettes available to major donors who give £6,000 or more to the Appeal. She has generously offered to do this at cost, so apart from foundry and delivery charges, all profits will go to the Appeal. This is an amazing offer from Denise who is internationally known and in…
BBC South East Today broadcast a special report today (10th February 2021) about Mary, the “forgotten suffragette”. BBC’s Chrissie Ready interviewed Jean Calder and Briony Goulden from the Appeal and and Terri Bell-Halliwell from inVISIBLEwomen. Terri’s organisation campaigns for more statues and memorials for women. She has been a huge support to the Appeal. Watch from 15 minutes https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000s6t1/south-east-today-evening-news-10022021
Lucy Bannerman of The Times wrote an article entitled “Calls for statue to celebrate forgotten suffragette” published 23rd January 2021. We are so grateful for Lucy’s interest and for Andrew Hasson’s wonderful photographs. An invitation from Woman’s Hour followed (broadcast 29th January 2021) and several other media opportunities. We have had donations from as far afield as Wales and Scotland, with many donors commenting that…
Sculptor Denise Dutton has completed and delivered the much anticipated bronze maquette of Mary Clarke, the first suffragette to die for women’s right to vote – and did so in time for Mary’s birthday on 12th December. Cllr Alan Robins, the Mayor of Brighton & Hove received it on behalf of the Appeal and the people of Brighton & Hove in a brief socially-distanced ceremony…