TUC Women Chainmakers' Festival of Cradley Heath

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 2020 Women Chainmakers' festival

virtual event

 

 

 
2020 TUC Women Chainmakers – ‘Forging New Links – building a better future for working women’
Midlands TUC for the women chainmakers festival. The annual TUC Women Chainmakers’ Festival is moving online this year due to Covid-19.


This virtual event included

1) The famous Mary Macarthur 'Call to Arms' and 'Victory Speech'.
2) Short chain making related films.
3) 'Forging new links’ interactive panel discussion.

Panel included:
- Dana Mill, writer and activist.
- Eleanor Smith, ex- MP for Wolverhampton South West and long
standing local activist.
- Zarah Sultana MP, Coventry South
- Nicky Downes, Joint Branch Secretary Coventry NEU

Chair: Katherine Salt, TUC Midlands Women’s Committee, Chair

The panel will explore how progressives can build wider coalitions to broaden support and secure real and lasting change.

The National Education Union (NEU) is hosting this event on behalf of TUC Midlands Region.
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 NEXT outdoor EVENT WILL BE JULY 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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annual Midlands TUC Chainmakers Festival, Saturday 6th July 2019,  the largest celebration in Britain of women's political history.

11.00 - 20.00 | Mary Macarthur Gardens
This year the festival was revamped with all activities taking place in Mary Macarthur Gardens.

Stalls, the new 'Leftfield Tent' withactivities for kids, as well as political debate, with panels exploring the role of women in trade unions and society and how to organise young workers.

The much loved theatrical re-enactment  with a banner parade around Cradley Heath,plus main tent with speeches and music.

Headlining the festival was the Latin funk band Wara

 

Leftfield Tent
12.00 Children’s activities workshop (and 'Call to Arms')
13.00 Young Workers Panel debate
14.00 ‘Women in Leadership’ panel
14:30 Victory Speech
14:45 Banner Parade

Main Tent
15.10 Third Junction
16.15 Steph Peacock MP
16.30 Sunflower Thieves
17.35 Cathy Hunt & Louise Townsend
17.45 Emily Lockett
18.15 Wara

 

It re-enacts the struggle and celebrates the achievements and strugle of the trade union movement both then and now. 

Tired of working day and night for starvation wages, the Women Chainmakers of Cradley Heath in the Black Country in 1910, downed their hammers and stood up for their right to earn a living wage.

Led by the founder of the National Federation of Women Workers, Mary Macarthur,  their ten week strike successfully established the right to a minimum wage.

 

 

 This year’s event will be exclusively held on Mary Macarthur Gardens (junction Lower High St/Sydney St) with a banner parade up the High Street at Cradley Heath.

 The iconic heart of the famous struggle where the Chainmakers worked, lived - and fought their successful ten week dispute to secure a minimum wage for their sector. 

marymacarthurA family friendly street festival involving market stalls, fun fair rides, speeches, street theatre, music and debate.
 
The bigest annual celebration of women's history in Britain.
 
 For more information please contact organisers Midlands TUC 0121 2626380 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  
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With help from the Friends of the Women Chainmakers       contact:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
 

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How to get to  Cradley Heath from Wolverhampton by train: 

off-peak Day Return  
leave  Wolverhampton Rail Station, taking London Midland train towards Walsall
change at Smethwick Galton Bridge Rail Station 
 take London Midland train towards Kidderminster
arrive at Cradley Heath Rail Station                        see the journey planner here....