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Emily Williamson raised £9,427 from 400 supporters

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Closed 28/02/2023

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£9,427
raised of £100,000 target by 400 supporters

    Weʼve raised £9,427 to fund a project to create a statue of Emily Williamson, founder of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

    Funded on Tuesday, 28th February 2023

    Don't have time to donate right now?

    Story

    Who Was Emily Williamson?

    An inspiring Victorian woman who channelled her outrage into activism.

    Emily Williamson loved birds, hated cruelty, and was appalled by the fashion for feathers. Determined to halt the cruel plumage trade, she invited her friends to tea at The Croft, Didsbury, and asked them to sign a pledge to 'Wear No Feathers'. And so the Society for the Protection of Birds was born, in 1889. All of its members were women.

    Emily's campaign snowballed. It triumphed with the Plumage Act of 1921, banning the import of exotic feathers. Countless bird species were saved from extinction, and the RSPB evolved into the powerful conservation charity it is today. Yet few, today, have heard of its founder.

    Why does she need a statue?

    A statue can be a powerful catalyst for change.

    Today we are facing a climate emergency. Our skies are emptying of birds. A statue of Emily Williamson will provide a focus for a new generation of young people, including girls, helping them to understand the value of nature and the power of activism. We need to fight for our birds and biodiversity.

    Emily Williamson's story is an inspiring one. One voice can make a difference.

    Where will the statue go?

    In Fletcher Moss Park, Didsbury, South Manchester – the beautiful landscaped gardens created by Emily and her husband Robert Williamson, who lived at The Croft 1882-1912. It's one of the North West of England's most valued open spaces; a nature-lovers' haven rich in birdlife and flora. In 2019, Fletcher Moss Park won a ‘UK’s Best Loved Park’ award from Fields in Trust.

    On 1 July 2021 four shortlisted maquettes were unveiled here at the centenary of the Plumage Act - Emily Williamson's bird protection victory; a milestone in conservation history. Clare Abbatt, Billie Bond, Laury Dizengremel and Eve Shepherd's designs then went on tour through 12 RSPB reserves, gathering votes. Take a look at their designs and hear more about Emily:

    Who's the sculptor and what's the timeline?

    On 13 November 2021 at Manchester Art Gallery, Eve Shepherd was announced the winner of the Emily Williamson Statue Competition. Shepherd is renowned for the depth of her research, and her iconoclastic approach to public artwork. Her statue of Emily Williamson will be an inspiring monument not just to a woman, but to the beauty and vulnerability of birdlife.

    'Emily was a visionary...'

    '...A quiet, yet stoic woman, who stood against the norms of her day,' - says sculptor Eve Shepherd. 'She was forgotten by history because of her gender. This statue will be both a triumph and a milestone on the journey towards fair representation of women within public sculpture – though we still have some distance to go! I am delighted and excited to have been selected to be part of this.' https://www.eveshepherd.com/

    Right now we're fundraising! Eve will work on the statue in stages, as funds come in. When completed, it will be unveiled in Fletcher Moss Park by Emily's great great niece, the bird scientist Dr Melissa Bateson.

    Who's funding this statue?

    A combination of crowd funding, sales of a limited edition of twenty of the winning design by Eve Shepherd, and corporate sponsorship. Contact andrew4didsbury@gmail.com to discuss purchasing a maquette, and sponsorship opportunities.

    Who's running the campaign?

    Didsbury councillor Andrew Simcock and author Tessa Boase are leading the team, along with the RSPB's CEO, Beccy Speight.

    We have past form in getting statues done: the Emmeline Pankhurst statue campaign for Manchester was conceived and successfully run by Andrew, unveiled 2018. We also have experience in getting stories out there: Tessa's book about the RSPB's surprising origins, 'Etta Lemon: The Woman Who Saved the Birds' continues to inspire readers with its story of early eco activism (Standing Up for Nature Book of the Year ).

    L-R: Andrew Simcock, Beccy Speight, Eve Shepherd, Tessa Boase.

    We're delighted to have you on board. As Emily Williamson showed us: from small beginnings, great things grow. To keep up to date with our campaign, visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter.

    Updates

    1

    • Emily Williamson1 year ago
      Emily Williamson

      Emily Williamson

      1 year ago

      We've raised £20,000 so far - half from crowd funding, half from sales of bronze maquettes. A huge thank you for supporting Emily's legacy by donating: future generations will thank you, too. Because our Just Giving page has hit its time limit, it's closed right now - but we'll be re-opening another one in the next few days. Meanwhile, catch up with our news at https://www.emilywilliamsonstatue.com/news

      Share this update to help us raise more

    3 years ago

    Emily Williamson started crowdfunding

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    Page last updated on: 3/13/2023 14.48

    Supporters

    400

    • Su Underwood

      Su Underwood

      Feb 28, 2023

      I really hope that this happens!

      £25.00

    • Anonymous

      Anonymous

      Feb 28, 2023

      £10.00

    • Nicola Gilbert

      Nicola Gilbert

      Feb 27, 2023

      Please join the campaign to include swift bricks in all new build and renovations. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/626737

      £10.00

    • Anonymous

      Anonymous

      Feb 27, 2023

      £20.00

    • Anonymous

      Anonymous

      Feb 26, 2023

    • Jude

      Jude

      Feb 23, 2023

    • Anonymous

      Anonymous

      Jan 10, 2023

      An amazing contribution to conservation& delighted that she is finally getting acknowledged for her role

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    About the fundraiser
    Emily Williamson

    Emily Williamson

    Manchester's unsung conservation & social welfare pioneer: Founded the Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in Didsbury, the Gentlewoman's Employment Association, the Princess Christian Training College for Nurses, & the Loan Training Fund for women's further education.

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