MP Helen Jones is alerting local community groups to the fact that the Women’s Suffrage Centenary Grant Scheme is about to be opened and bids accepted for consideration.
Next year (2018) will mark the centenary of voting rights being extended to women for the first time. The Representation of People Act 1918 expanded the franchise to women over 30 and owners of property. In the same year, the Parliament (Qualification of women) Act allowed women to be elected to Parliament for the first time and on the same basis as men aged over 21.
There is a £5 million fund to mark the centenary of voting rights for women and it is the intention that the money will fund projects that raise awareness of this crucial milestone, and inspire people to play their part in building a diverse political system for the future.
MP Helen Jones said: “The grant scheme has been set up to specifically support local and community groups to celebrate the centenary. In the spirit of the suffragist movement, we want these projects to be led by local people across the country.
“Grants of up to £2,000 can be applied for to support local celebratory events. Anyone wanting to bid for a grant needs to be ready soon as applications will be sort in the near future.
“The centenary celebrations for women’s suffrage is a real opportunity to encourage more women to enter public life. Great advances have been made over the past 100 years but women still face unacceptable barriers, many being put off by hostile and abusive remarks from men who often hide behind the cover of anonymity on-line. This centenary is a great time to push the case for women even more.’’
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“Great advances have been made over the past 100 years but women still face unacceptable barriers, many being put off by hostile and abusive remarks from men who often hide behind the cover of anonymity on-line”
If they are anonymous Helen, then how can you be sure that they are men? Just saying like.
And what are the figures? Or was it just a generalisation? I thought that Parliament had a record number of women MP’s, more so than ever before? I smell a rat. Ahhr I see now. Applause for a lovely press release dressed up as an advert for democracy when actually it appears that the true motivation for this was simply an opportunity to slam anyone who has the nerve to critique your performances as the local MP. And has nothing to do with the centenary fund. Because if you were so concerned, then you would have stepped in when anonymous and online abuse affected a former young and popular female councillor from one of the Warrington North wards from only a few years ago? You were deathly silent on that I’ve been led to believe? Why was that?