English: Sculptor Sean Hedges-Quinn: Today (2 February 2018) a 7ft tall bronze statue, wrapped in protective cloth, of Alice Hawkins was delivered and installed on the plinth at Market Square in Leicester in readiness for its unveiling on Sunday 4th February 2018 after 2.00pm. There I met four people who were present to welcome the Alice Hawkin statue.

In brief:- Alice Hawkins was a shoe factory machinist at The Equity Shoes factory on Western Road near Braunstone Gate, who fought for women’s right to vote in the 1900s. The Equity Shoes factory today is converted into residential apartments.

The statue will be unveiled as part of events marking the start of a year-long celebration commemorating the centenary of the Representation of the People Act 1918 – the act that gave all men, and some women, the right to vote.

Jim Beadman is one of the great grandson of Alice Hawkins whom I had the pleasure of talking for a short while. He was excited to see the statue of his great grandmother being installed. He said his family didn’t really talk much about Alice. He was not sure how the public reacted towards someone who had a criminal background. Obviously this feeling must have come from somewhere in their history which made them cautious and wary. We all know Alice was put in prison for her campaign at getting women’s right to vote. But today he was overjoyed that a statue of her was being installed and is recognised for her dedication and hard work. He told me about his own granddaughter who was asked to talk about Alice at her school. A great moment for her. She is a bright young girl who can speak both French and Hindi. ‘Hindi?’ I asked. One of her parents has Indian heritage and has picked up the language very well from their side of the family. Jim also now lives in France. When she visited France they popped into the supermarket. The granddaughter was fluently translating everything for her grandad! “I was really surprised and proud of her” Jim Beadman said. We talked at length about this and that and the coming Sunday, when a lady came to Jim and asked who this statue was of? He told her “Alice Hawkins”. “Oh the suffragettes” “Yes” Then with a big smile he said “Im her great grandson” You should have seen the surprise on her face. I think I had the same look on my face when he told me who he was. She went off to tell her friend. I had the good sense to capture that brief moment where she tells her friend which you can see in the video. In the meantime we said our goodbyes and hope to meet him on Sunday.

The other person I briefly met was the sculptor Sean Hedges-Quinn who was also overseeing the instalment of the statue. I asked him for his photo and he has kindly obliged. Later I could hear him asking the workmen if they wanted coffee in this rather cold weather. Such a kind gentleman. The £80,000 statue has been funded by a local businessman. According to a website ‘the statue shows Alice as she might have looked at the height of the suffragette movement in 1912, when she would have regularly addressed the crowds at Leicester Market.’ "It has been described as a dynamic pose."

Councillor Manjula Sood MBE was also present with the Deputy City Mayor and heritage champion Cllr Adam Clarke. In a website he is quoted “Alice Hawkins’ contribution to reforming the electoral system in this country is finally going to be recognised in the city she called home. This statue will honour her memory and the shared achievements of the suffrage movement. It will stand as a reminder to us all that society’s inequalities can be defeated and that gender should not be a barrier to anything.”

Manjula Sood kindly invited a group of us who were watching the event unfolding-- inside the barriers to take a closer look at the plinth and the statue. Thank you Manjula.