International Women’s Day 2022 Hereford Poster Parade

International Women’s Day 2022 Hereford Poster Parade

Inspired by Clare Wichbold’s book Hard Work – But Glorious, Hereford’s contribution to International Women’s Day 2022 was something rather unusual. Lin Mathias and Clare organised a suffragette style poster parade on Sunday 6th March. Over 100 people took part, leaving from Hereford Cathedral after a send-off from Dean Sarah Brown. They then passed through Hereford to High Town, where Elena Rodriguez Falcon from NMiTE spoke about encouraging women into engineering. They finished at The Courtyard. Jo Sanderson from West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre was the final speaker. The parade raised nearly £500 for the charity through a collection and matched funding through The Big Give.

A spontaneous exhibition sprang up when a number of participants asked to display their placards at The Courtyard. Students from Hereford College of Arts and Fairfield High School had produced some fantastic artwork which was on display, and some of these placards and posters will return to public view while Hope the Lego Suffragette is at The Courtyard between 9 and 23 May.

Hope was built by the LEGO Group with support from the UK Parliament in 2018, 100 years after the first women gained the right to vote. It took three people 171 hours to build her using 32,327 bricks. The Courtyard is the first venue in Herefordshire that Hope is visiting during her tour of the country. Come and #StandWithHope to find out more about the suffrage campaign.