First all-female banner for gala
WOMEN’S GROUP SET TO JOIN BIG MEETING
The first all-female group is set to march with their banner at Durham Miners’ Gala.
A new group, celebrating the diverse role of women in County Durham’s history, is producingapatchworkbanner.
The Women’s Banner Group is the first all-female banner group to have been officially accepted by the Durham Miners’ Association.
A wide network of women’s groups from across County Durham are taking part in the project, which was founded by Laura Daly, the women’s officer for The Sedgefield Labour Party.
She said: “The amount of emotion shown at the gala by everyone is immense. It is clearthattheimportantissues facedbyminersandtheirfamiliesduringthestrikesstillplay a huge part in the lives of the community.But the Big Meeting is about so much more, the celebration of communities, politics and unions.”
Laura began to wonder why there has never been an official women’s banner group and started talking with like-minded females including Heather Wood, who ran the free cafe in Eas- ington during the miners’ strike, and Mary Turner, a local quilter. And, the idea of the a community patchwork banner was born.
A fundraising page has also been set up to raise money to create this banner, as well as a silk one which will be used at the Durham Miners’s Gala at www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/wbg.
Laura said: “2018 marks a momentous year in which we plan to celebrate the achievements of women in trade unions,communitiesandpolitics. This year is an important anniversary. Not only the 100 yearssincesomewomenwere giventhevotebutalso150years of the TUC.”