First heroines join the Heroes
Monument reveals its poll winners
Missionary Mary Slessor and the co-founder of Maggie’s Centres Maggie Jencks are the first women who will be commemorated in The Hall of Heroes at the Wallace Monument.
From the thousands of votes which were cast online and by visitors to the monument, they emerged clearly as the front runners from a shortlist of 14 remarkable Scottish women.
Mary Slessor (1848-1915) has been described as the most celebrated Scottish missionary since David Livingstone, who inspired her to a life of service.
Determined to overcome the challenges of her early years and largely self-taught, she combined her missionary zeal with a practical approach to helping those in need.
She worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for the people of Calabar in Nigeria against a background of prejudice and opposition.
Described as selfless and exceptionally unique, the opportunity to see her recognised as a heroine prompted many voters to share their own stories of how she inspired them.
One wrote: “I became a full-time missionary at the age of 21 after reading her biography.”
A writer, gardener and designer from Dumfries, Maggie Keswick Jencks (1941-95) and her husband Charles founded the Maggie’s Centres, which offer practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer, their family and friends.
She designed the blueprint for the centres, the first of which opened in Edinburgh in 1996, while she herself was facing cancer.
Voters in their hundreds showed their support for her, with many highlighting how the Maggie’s Centres had positively effected their lives.
One comment read: “Maggie’s Centre has been so vital to our family, an inspirational lady who made so many people’s lives a little easier at a terrible time.”
Zillah Jamieson, chair of Stirling District Tourism, said: “This has been an incredible campaign, one which has ignited passions and has stimulated an amazing response.
“The level of enthusiasm for women to be given recognition has been truly inspirational and the challenge for us as a self-funding charity has been to raise the funds required to embark on this project and to now introduce these women into The Hall of Heroes.
“We are proud that we have been able to do this with the help and the support of the visitors who come to the monument.”