South Tyneside banner will take part in national celebration of women's suffrage

On Sunday, June 10, women and girls in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London will walk together as part of Processions, a mass participation artwork marking the passing of the 1918 Representation of the People Act.

Wearing green, white or violet, the colours of the Suffragettes, they will be carrying 100 celebratory banners - one of which will be made in South Tyneside as part of the Cultural Spring’s summer programme.

Workshops will be held at South Shields Museum and Art Gallery for six Saturdays, starting on May 12 at 10am. The last workshop will be on Saturday, June 9, and the following day, the women and girls who have made the banner will take it to Edinburgh to take part in the parade.

The workshops are being led by Whitley-Bay artist Alizon Bennet, who previously produced a banner as part of a commission at the Shipley Art Gallery in Newcastle.

“The design of our banner will be determined by those in the group and we’ll be discussing women who we’ve all been inspired by,” she said.

“These may be national or international figures, or they may be the mothers, grandmothers, teachers or role models of those who will be making the banner,” explained Alizon.

“No experience is necessary and we’ll be using techniques such as knitting, weaving, quilting, applique, progging, and beading to make the banner. The Suffragettes used banners to get their message across and I think the Processions project will be a terrific tribute to the brave women who changed society,” she added.

The workshops are free, but travel to Edinburgh will cost £5 per person (bursaries are available from the Cultural Spring). Places at the workshops will be limited. To book, e-mail [email protected] or ring 427 8197.