Plant a Seed for Gender Equality

Aim: To build a therapeutic garden for women experiencing abuse and commemorate 100 years of votes for women

The Pankhurst Garden is now officially fully funded! We're over the moon to have not only reached our target but exceeded it by more than 20%!!! Thank you to each and every one of you who helped to make this happen. We are seeking additional sponsorship to showcase the Garden at RHS Tatton Park Flower Show in July 2018 where it will be seen by tens of thousands of people before it is replanted at the Pankhurst Centre. Please contact [email protected] if you are interested. You can continue to support our work in other ways by becoming a Friend of The Pankhurst or making a donation on our JustGiving page. 

What are we raising money for?

In 2018 it will be 100 years since the first women secured the right to vote in the UK. Yet 100 years on, we are still fighting for gender equality. We see the social injustice still faced by women every single day at The Pankhurst Centre, so we're calling YOU to action to help us to do something special for our women and children in 2018: to build a Suffragette Garden to commemorate the work of Emmeline Pankhurst and the incredible Suffragette Women 100 years on, and foster the well-being of women still experiencing social injustice today.

The Pankhurst Centre & Manchester Women’s Aid

The Pankhurst Centre stands at 62 Nelson Street, Manchester as a permanent reminder of the Suffragette movement. It's where Emmeline Pankhurst and her family lived and it was here that they founded the Women’s Social and Political Union – or the “Suffragettes” as they were later known. The Centre now houses a small heritage museum and is home to Manchester Women's Aid, which provides housing and practical support for women fleeing abuse. Together we follow in the footsteps of those before us working with renewed energy and commitment to tackle gender inequality and the violence it fosters. 

Why should you be a part of our Garden?

The Suffragettes used flowers and the language of flowers to send us a message. They challenged the view that women could not be both feminine and political. This, alongside many others, is still a prejudice we fight against today. 

“Though the story of one family, my family, it is also the story of all women, of how hard the path to gender equality has been, and how much more there is still to do”. Dr Helen Pankhurst, Great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst.

Images left to right: Portrait of Christabel Pankhurst; Part of a series of posters advertising the Women's Suffrage Newspaper; Emmeline Pankhurst is arrested by policemen at Buckingham Palace for gathering 20,000 suffragettes to demand for votes for women.

At the back of The Pankhurst Centre we have a lovely outdoor space which provides a vital green lung in the heart of the Manchester Royal Infirmary, but at the moment it's relatively bare and in need of some love and attention. We want to turn it into a sanctuary for our women and children, many of whom have been through very traumatic experiences. 

Images from The Pankhurst Centre garden

Together, we can build a Garden that will be both a celebration of women’s liberty, and raise awareness of the struggles for enfranchisement and the influence that those early Suffragettes had, and still have, on issues facing women and girls today.

It will not only be a tribute to Emmeline, but to all who have fought for gender equality over the past century, and all those still experiencing social injustice today.

The National Trust and Royal Horticultural Society are keen to showcase our Garden at the RHS Tatton Park Flower Show in July 2018 where it is expected to be seen by around 80,000 people before we replant it at 62 Nelson Street - an incredible opportunity for us to raise awareness of our cause! This will form part of our wider campaign to safeguard the future of the Centre, to ensure that those suffering domestic abuse receive appropriate support and to continue to make it an important place for women and a resource for future generations. 

Image from The Pankhurst Centre garden

Why do we need £20k?

This is an ambitious project for a small charity, and we are speaking to sponsors to support with the costs of project management and landscaping, but as a garden created for people and with the story of people at its heart, we want as many people as possible to be a part of helping it bloom and grow. This is where YOU come in. Take a look at the preliminary design and concept for the Garden below and see what your donation will help to bring to life:

The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) adopted the colour scheme of purple, white and green, that would not only distinguish them in their political movement, but would also prove to be a huge marketing success. Purple stands for freedom and dignity, white stands for purity in private and public life, and green is the colour of hope.

Creating a legacy

If this project is successful, it will make a real and lasting difference to the well-being of the women and children who use our services and help to secure the future of 62 Nelson Street - and this will be thanks to you. The garden will also become an important part of our visitor experience and our future vision for the museum, helping to share the story of those who have fought for equality on behalf of all women.

To show our thanks, we have some amazing perks for you! You’ll receive a BIG thank you from The Pankhurst and we’ll even add your name to the website as a supporter of the project. There are additional rewards too, which you can see in the panel on the right.

Thanks for your support, we’ll see you in the Garden!

Read our latest blog post about our inspiration behind the Garden.

A big thank you to Loaded Hype for supporting our campaign.

The Pankhurst Trust (Incorporating Manchester Women’s Aid) is a registered charity in the UK. Charity number: 1126433