The women who challenged the rules. The women who changed things. The women whose names we know, and perhaps even more importantly, the women whose names we don’t. So, when I started looking at the number of statues of women across London, I found myself thinking about how much our public spaces tell us about who we value, who we remember and whose stories we choose to pass on to the next generation. And that got me thinking… What if I spent a day meeting 24 of those women? And so my 12 Hours / 24 Women challenge was born. I am heading to London to walk, travel on the Tube, explore and meet 24 women represented through statues, sculptures and busts – with just one blue plaque along the way. But this isn’t simply a day out in London. I’m doing it to raise money for something very close to my heart – a statue of our very own Ada Nield Chew in Crewe. Ada Nield Chew was a woman from Crewe who stood up for what she believed in. She used her voice, her words and her courage to campaign for better conditions for women workers. She challenged inequality and wasn’t afraid to speak out when she believed something was wrong. And yet, how many people today know her story? That is exactly why I believe a statue of Ada belongs in Crewe. A statue isn’t just a piece of public art. It says: This woman mattered. Her story matters. We want future generations to know what she did. That is what I love about women’s statues. They make history visible. During my challenge, I’ll be meeting women from completely different backgrounds and different periods of history. I’ll start with Millicent Fawcett in Parliament Square and Emmeline Pankhurst in Victoria Tower Gardens – two women whose names are synonymous with the fight for women’s suffrage. I’ll meet Mary Seacole, whose determination and nursing work took her to the Crimea, and Florence Nightingale, whose work transformed nursing. I’ll meet Ada Lovelace, whose pioneering work in computing is still inspiring generations today. I’ll meet Violette Szabo, Noor Inayat Khan and Edith Cavell, women whose stories are connected with extraordinary courage during wartime. There will be writers such as Agatha Christie, performers such as Anna Pavlova and Amy Winehouse, artists, campaigners, doctors, politicians and women whose stories I suspect many people walking past their statues don’t know. And then there is Mary Wollstonecraft. A woman whose ideas about women’s education and equality were radical in her time and continue to influence conversations about women’s rights today. Every woman has a story. And that’s what I want to explore. I don’t just want to take a photograph, tick a box and move on. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing a blog about each of the 24 women I meet. I’ll be finding out about their lives, their achievements, the challenges they faced and why they have been commemorated. Some stories I already know. Some I know a little about. And I’m sure there will be women whose stories are completely new to me. That’s part of the excitement. I’m hoping that by sharing their stories, you might discover a woman you didn’t know about too. Perhaps one of them will inspire you. Perhaps one will make you angry. Perhaps one will make you curious enough to find out more. Perhaps you’ll look at a statue differently the next time you walk past one. Because behind every statue is a story. Where are the women? Look around our towns and cities and you can see statues of kings, politicians, generals, businessmen and other men who have shaped our history. Women have shaped our history too. They have campaigned. They have created. They have cared. They have challenged. They have invented. They have written. They have led. They have changed lives. But their stories haven’t always been given the same space. That is why our A Statue for Ada campaign matters so much to me. We don’t just want a statue. We want to create a lasting reminder of a woman from Crewe’s own history. A woman whose story deserves to be seen by the people who live here today – and by generations who will come after us. You don’t need to walk 12 hours. You don’t even need to come to London. I’m going to bring the women to you through my blogs. I’ll introduce you to all 24. I’ll share photographs, facts, stories and the things that surprise me along the way. And most importantly, I’ll be sharing the story of Ada Nield Chew and why we are determined to see her remembered in her hometown. If you enjoy following the challenge, please consider supporting A Statue for Ada. Every donation, every share, every conversation and every person who learns Ada’s story helps us move one step closer to seeing her standing proudly in Crewe. Because ultimately, this isn’t just about statues. It’s about who we remember. It’s about whose stories we tell. And it’s about making sure that women are visible in the places where we all live, work and walk. I’m really excited to start this journey. 24 women.12 hours.24 stories. I hope that by the end of the journey, you’ll be as passionate about these women’s stories as I am. And perhaps the next time you walk past a statue of a woman, you’ll stop for a moment and ask: “I wonder what her story is?”I have always been fascinated by women’s stories.
Why Ada?
24 women. 24 stories.
I’m going to blog about every single one
And there is something else I hope this challenge will make us think about…
So, I’m asking you to come on the journey with me…