Deeds Not Words Towards Liberation has been supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to record, preserve and raise awareness about women's social and political activism in Derbyshire.

In Our Time: Melvyn Bragg and Guests Talks Suffragism

Melvyn Bragg and guests Krista Cowman, June Purvis and Julia Bush discuss suffragism, a name for the various movements to get the vote for women in the 19th and early-20th century. On the 4th June 1913 theEpsom Derby was underway. King George V was there watching his horse Anmer, ridden by Herbert Jones. Also watching was a young woman called Emily Davison. As the horses thundered towards the finish line, Emily Davison stepped through the barrier and threw herself in front of the King's horse and died of her injuries four days later. Davison was a suffragette, a campaigner for the woman's right to vote and her death is perhaps the most powerful image of that entire movement. Emmeline Pankhurst and her Suffragettes are famous for their militant campaign of suicide, violence and direct action, but Suffragism was a broader movement involving letter writing, reasoned argument, journalism and parliamentary petition - all played out across biology, medicine, law, psychology, politics and the military amidst the rising tide of democratic ideas

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UN Women: Women's Footprint in History

Click the link to view 

Women's History Month 2021

UPCOMING Events

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IWD Derby Festival March 5th - 8th 2021  

Click the link below 

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March 8th 2021 WHM Event

PowerPoint Presentation: Discovering HERstory 

Date: March 8th  2021

Location: Self Education Activity

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March 8th, 2021 IWD Derby

Panel Discussion with Q&A: Anonymous Was A Woman: Where is Derby's HERstory? 

Time: 1-2.30pm

Location: Virtual Event

Registration Link:

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March 8th, 2021 IWD Derby

Courageous Conversations Café - drop in any time for as much or little as you like, maybe with a cuppa? Join us with the questions you feel we need to discuss this International Women’s Day #ChooseToChallenge – gender inequalities, women’s lives during the pandemic, objectification, consent, violence against women, detention of women, intersectional feminism, far right attempts to hijack women’s issues, women rising up around the world, the injustices and the actions we can all take including social media action during this session together… and whatever else you want to talk about! Come share & plug your womxn’s/girls’ projects too. Facilitated by Vanessa Boon. Who for?: Women/womxn and non-binary folx who feel affinity or siblinghood in spaces that centre women’s experiences and girls 11yrs+ (some mature and challenging themes will be discussed – you know your kids best) 

Time: 4.30pm-6.30pm:  

Location: Virtual Event

Event Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/courageous-conversations-cafe-for-international-womens-day-tickets-141360728745

March 8th, 2021 IWD Derby

Panel Discussion with Q&A: Hidden Figures: Black Women Matter - – join us for an inspiring online panel discussion with the women of Derby’s Black Community Matters Committee, co-creators of the Black Lives Matter Derby Manifesto, and guests, sharing experiences of being hidden figures, the heroes who encouraged them to step forwards and rising up to create change, with Q&A. Who for? Women/womxn of all ethnicities and non-binary folx who feel affinity or siblinghood in spaces that centre women’s experiences; children 11yrs+ with adult supervision

Time: 7-8.30pm

Location: Virtual Event

Registration Link: 

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Highlighting the Transformative Power of Women's Participation

Upcoming Launch of Alice and Elisabeth Centre for Civic Egagement:

When:  Postponed due to Corona Virus 

Where: The Mandela Centre, 179 Pear Tree Rd

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The Centre which is part of the legacy of our Deeds Not Words Towards Liberation Project, is named after Alice Wheeldon (born Derby 27 January 1866 - Died Derby 21 February 1919) and Elisabeth Freeman (born Chesterfield Derbyshire,12 Sept 1876 - Died Pasendena, Texas, USA 27 Feb 1942). 

We are now planning a February 2021 Launch to mark the death of both women some 23 years apart. The Centre will be housed on the ground floor of the main Mandela Centre and will include our Deeds and Words Archive, a Women's History and People's History Library and public space. Watch this space for information. To find out more about the remarkable lives of Alice and Elisabeth see our Derbyshire 100+ Women Page. Watch this space!

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Alice Wheeldon 

27 Jan1866 -  21 Feb 1919

Elisabeth Freeman 

12 Sept 1876 -  27 Feb 42

Celebrating Women's HERstory Month March 1-31st, 2021

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We've all just been through very difficult times but despite the odds and the horrendous toll the last year has taken on so many, we stand steadfast and resolute in our remembrance, recognition and celebration of women and girls everywhere.

Vox Feminarum's WHM 2021 Theme: 'Seizing Power in This Moment to Make More Noise,' is a call to action to challenge attempts to silence women and issues impacting women and girls. From abortion rights to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on women. We need to rise together in all our diversity to ensure that HERstory is not drowned out, written and rendered invisible in the telling of this HIStory.

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Feminist READATHON

Here are just a few activities we have planned

- Celebrating women authors and the stories they tell.The readathon takes place March 1-31 and the goal is to read books written by and about women.

Our Challenges

* You CAN use the same book for multiple challenges

• A book with purple (colour or word) on the cover

• A book recommended to you

• A book with a woman’s name in the title

• A book about sisterhood and/or female friendship

• A book by a working class, racially minoritised, disabled or LGBTQ+ woman author

• A biography or memoir about a woman

• A book by a woman author whose work you’ve loved before

• A book set in the future

• A book that you added to your own collection but haven't yet read

• An own voices book for an identity you don’t share

• A book with a working class, racially minoritised, disabled or LGBTQ+ woman on the cover

• A book by a woman author who shares a name or initials with you

Taking Part

The main way to participate is to read books written by women. You have the choice to read books based on the above challenges or formulate some challenges of your own or just read any and all books written by women. You can also participate on Deeds not Words Towards Liberation Facebook page. Look out for book recommendations, updates, prompts etc. Please don’t forget to update us on what you are reading and how it is going use the #Read4HERstory

FEMINISM 101 AN INTRODUCTION TO FEMINIST THOUGHT AND ACTIVISM Monday’s March 16th, 23rd and 30th 7pm to 8.30pm

Join us for a fun thought provoking three week introduction to all things 'Feminism'.

Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../tZIsceisrjgoHdJjpnfAASJSi1fDf...

Gender and The Impact of COVID-19 - come and share your stories and experiences and listen to some of the preliminary findings for our ongoing local survey. Saturday March 20th 12 – 2pm

Zoom Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../tZ0ode...

If you haven’t yet completed the survey please follow this link

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/.../Gender-and-The-Impact.../

Inspirational Women – Preparing and Creating Platforms to Explore Our Questions and Represent Our Voices. March 24th 7pm -8.30pm

Join Cindy Foster-Carter, founder of Approaches to People Training in this taster session, as she harnesses the power of shared life challenges towards powerful transformation and a catalyst for success. Key to the ethos of Inspiring Women is presenting the authentic experience of women at all stages of their career and life journeys.

Zoom Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../tZUpcuGhrD0vH9dRr4mgCP0q40Nlc...

We have a few more events to add...watch this space for more information and Zoom links. We look forward to seeing you there. Together we can seize the power in this moment to make more noise!

        Are You A HERitage Sleuth?  We Need Your Help to...

Object Teaser of The Month

Latest Aquisitions

Sneak previews of newly acquired items/linked materials - See item/question of The Month.

Do You Know Anything About This Beautiful Well-Dressing?  It is located in Ashford-in-the-Water, Derbyshire and was dressed in 2008? Please contact Sonya Robotham on 07779560284 or by email on vox.feminarum@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from you. Image courtesy of Derbyshire.photgraphs.co.uk

Revealed: Latest Names added to Made in Derby 'walk of fame'

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More than 400 nominations were received for 220 individuals to be inscribed we were successful in our lobbying to get Alice Wheeldon included in the first 8 stars alongside Bess of Hardwick Hall. The first names were revealed in May 2018.  The second set of names (10) were revealed on September 14th 2019. While we wince at the inclusion of a fictional character Lara Croft (more a nod to the creators of Lara Croft men!), we note the inclusion of several women in the current cohort of names including Florence Nightingale and artist Marion Adnams. Read more about the Project and public comments by clicking on the links below.

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Millicent Fawcett's Signatures

Interview Updates

Coming

Soon

Contact Us

We are always seeking to improve our site and to strengthen the project through volunteer contributions and dialogue. Do get in touch to volunteer, or to contribute your stories, memorabilia or documents and to just let us know what you think.