Weekend of Wonderful Women

A weekend which celebrated the centenary of partial suffrage 

October 2018

Hebden Bridge has been long famed for it's vivacious history of politics, feminism, and the wonderful inspirational women that have lived, and continue to live in this town. Over the weekend we celebrated wonderful women. Past, present and future. 

We were joined by musician Grace Petrie, Scottish poet Liz Lochhead, Lucy Pankhurst with Splinters Band, Cantare Choir and there were a number of extraordinary women exhibitions. The weekend also included a screening of 'I'm No Bird', a short film comprising images of local women at work at play throughout the 20th century taken from the Yorkshire Film Archive and accompanied by a soundtrack by Todmorden-based musician Magahi (Alison Cooper). Alison also performed two specially commissioned songs inspired by local suffragettes.

PROGRAMME

Excerpt from 'SpeakHer' by Debbie Sharp installed in the Town Hall Map Chair.

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INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN DIGITAL EXHIBITION

We welcomed your submissions of amazing women who have informed your life, living or otherwise, personally or famously. We asked to hear your stories about how they've inspired you and why you want them to be part of our Wonderful Women Exhibition. 

JOCELYN BELL BURNELL

Jocelyn Bell Burnell is the astrophysicist who, this year, when she won the prestigious Breakthrough Prize for Science (worth $3 million), immediately gave it to a fund that helps disadvantaged science students while they’re writing their PhDs. In 1999 I interviewed Jocelyn for my book Living in Godless Times – tales of spiritual travellers. I wanted to ask how her spiritual path (she’s a Quaker) fits with hard-nosed scientific experiment. I also wanted to know how she viewed being passed over for the 1973 Nobel Prize for Physics, awarded to her two male colleagues when she’d actually been the one to discover pulsars. On faith and science, her answer was simple. “Both science and faith start with a hypothesis, a model, a picture, which you revise by experiment in the case of science, by life experience in the case of faith. If it works, you go with it. If it doesn’t, you go back to the drawing board.” How inspiring is that? With complete clarity, she solves the problem between science and faith. And the Nobel? “It’s incredibly demanding to win that prize. I couldn’t have coped with it as a shy young woman in 1973. And, let’s face it, if you win the Nobel in your 20s, after that it’s downhill all the way! I’ve had much more fun by not having won it.” Jocelyn is gentle, humane, with a lovely twinkle in her eye. And – you’ll hardly believe this – she failed the 11-plus exam. Totally inspiring.

LISA GRAHAM

She is the woman that you can utterly rely on. She is a great listener and would never betray a confidence. She is totally calm in an emergency and fills you with confidence that she is in control. Four years ago she decided that the time was right to change her life. She made a brave move and gave her notice in, packed her bags and found herself an apartment in Hebden Bridge. She didn't know anybody, left her friends behind and was determined to start a new life. Within two weeks she had unpacked her suitcase, found a job and began to explore the town. Since then she has thrown herself into creating a life that she now loves. She has done voluntary work in the community; she has astonishing energy which enables her to carry out her work duties with excellent results. She made another bold decision twelve months ago and decided that Hebden Bridge is the place where her future lies. She bought a house and is busy managing the project, updating the property, dealing with all that entails. She is truly a remarkable woman who makes her own decisions. I think she is inspirational to others in that she has proved that women can make life choices and succeed and be successful if they believe in themselves. I admire her and her attitude to life; continue to be astonished by her forward thinking while she still retains empathy and consideration for others.

LISA LEE

Lisa Lee is a woman I admire and feel deserves recognition for what she has done for women and girls. Lisa has faced so much and has had so much taken from her... yet she still gives unconditionally!!! When she lived in Hull she supported hundreds if not thousands of women and girls who have experienced domestic and sexual violence in a work and voluntary capacity. She did so with passion, empathy and determination and at the same time was struggling with her own mental health issues. 11 years ago Lisa lost her sight after a man assaulted her for no reason, by punching her in the head causing life changing injuries. A few years later she became a live donor and selflessly donated a kidney to save a woman’s life! She moved to Mytholmroyd in March 2017 and straightaway she started volunteering at PAWs dog sanctuary. She regularly helps her neighbors out by walking their dogs when they are at work. She is always willing to help and support anyone who needs it!!! This is why I love and admire her so much, she is an amazing woman!