Tomorrow, Deputy Chair of the London Assembly, Jennette Arnold OBE AM hosts an evening of live music and food to celebrate International Women’s Day.
Speakers will include:
- Baroness Floella Benjamin
- Anna Eavis, English Heritage
- Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy Mayor for Social integration, Social Mobility and Community Engagement
- Emily Gee, Historic England
MEDIA ARE INVITED TO ATTEND BY PRIOR ARRANGEMENT
The event will take place on Thursday, March 7 from 6.30pm in London’s Living Room at City Hall (The Queen’s Walk, London SE1).
Following the 100th anniversary of when women first voted, the London Assembly conducted a campaign to redress the gender balance of London’s Blue Plaques.
- Only 14 per cent of the capital’s Blue Plaques honour women.
- Of the 944 Blue Plaques - only 132 recognise the achievements of women.
Assembly Members urged Londoners to suggest 100 names of women who deserve the recognition of a Blue Plaque.
Women nominated who currently do not have a Blue Plaque include:
- Claudia Jones (equal rights campaigner and Caribbean Carnival organiser)
- Jayaben Desai (heroine of the Grunwick strike)
- Reina Lawrence (first female councillor elected in London)
- Emily Davison (suffragette, activist)
- Jill Dando (journalist)
The Assembly will present the list of 100 women to English Heritage - the purveyors of the Blue Plaque tomorrow evening at its International Women’s Day event.
The Assembly also called on English Heritage to review the rules which govern the scheme to make them less restrictive.
Follow us and take part in the discussion using #BackthePlaque
Notes to editors
- #BackthePlaque
- English Heritage has said that 14 per cent of London’s Blue Plaques honour women.
- The criteria used by English Heritage notes that successful nominations should have:
- Made an important positive contribution to human welfare or happiness
- Have made an exceptional impact in terms of public recognition
- Regarded as eminent and distinguished by a majority of members of their own profession or calling
- Have been dead for 20 years
- Have been resident in a building that’s still standing for over 5 years, otherwise other factors will have to be even more compelling
- London Assembly website
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For media enquiries, please contact Alison Bell on 020 7983 4228. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer. Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.