Our volunteer, Valerie Mainstone has died. I find it hard to say, even more difficult to believe. She was so very alive in every thing she did. In the days following he death I’ve walked around the city and almost everywhere I have gone I’ve remembered Valerie there. Valerie was a community activist of extraordinary commitment and belonged to a huge number of local groups.…
The Mary Clarke Statue Appeal had a prominent stall at the recent FiLiA international conference held from 9th to 11th October at the Brighton Centre, attended by 2,400 women. As a direct result we raised over £1250 in individual donations. We are so grateful to FiLiA for the platform it gave us. Our Chair Jean Calder was invite to speak for 10 minutes in the…
Our thanks are due to Amelia Hill, Senior Reporter at The Guardian, who this weekend on 21 June 2025, published a substantial article about Mary Clarke and our appeal for a statue. The article was published online and in print, where it took up almost a whole page, with many photographs attached. The primary focus of the piece was our struggle for funds. Many donations…
Those of you reading this will probably know that since the Appeal was set up we have consistently argued that the statue, when it is made, should be situated in the Gardens of the Royal Pavilion, near the entrance of the Museum and its modern education block. We wanted a safe site where school parties, families and tourist groups could gather, absorb information, listen to…
Our grateful thanks to Vicky and Chris Kilburn who have just raised a fabulous £1190 for the Appeal. They celebrate their fiftieth birthdays this year and generously asked friends to donate to the Appeal instead of giving them birthday presents. We rely completely upon our wonderful volunteers, the youngest of whom is eight and the oldest over eighty. They all do what they can to…
Today is 4th July 2024, the date of the General Election. We wish all candidates the very best of luck , especially remembering our Patrons, former M.P.s Peter Kyle for Labour and Maria Caulfield for the Conservatives, both of whom are candidates for election today. Our Green Patron, Caroline Lucas has recently stood down from her service as a member of Parliament. We thank her…
On Monday 25 March 2024 the Mayor of Brighton & Hove Cllr Jackie O’Quinn, hosted a Reception at Brighton Town Hall for the young volunteers of the Mary Clarke Statue Appeal. This was arranged by the Mayor with the Appeal trustees, who wanted to thank the girls for their support. None of the girls were able to attend on 12 December when Mary Clarke was…
This powerful and moving poem was written by Cllr Mitchie Alexander and read by her at a special meeting of Brighton & Hove City Council on 14th December 2022. She read it in support of the motion to posthumously award Mary the Freedom of the City. Mary Clarke 1862-1910 The First Suffragette to die for the cause “I wear my purple sleeves with pride, You…
Mary Clarke was posthumously awarded the freedom of the city of Brighton and Hove at a special council meeting at Hove Town on Thursday 14 December 2023. This followed a wonderful Reception for trustees of the Mary Clarke Statue Appeal and supporters, hosted by the Mayor Jackie O’Quinn. Briony Goulden, Mary’s great-great-niece, and a trustee of the Appeal, accepted the honour, assisted by her daughters…
Mary Clarke is to be honoured by the posthumous award of the Freedom of the City, a wonderful tribute. The award is to be made at a special meeting of Brighton & Hove City Council at 3.30pm on Thursday 14 December at Hove Town Hall. Mary Clarke Statue Appeal Trustee Briony Goulden, and her two daughters Sophie and Lena, will receive the award on…