Project honours Moray’s women
Tibby Gordon, a nurse from Garmouth who served with the Scottish Women’s Hospital in Serbia during the First World War.
MOST people remember a woman in their community who helped them, amused them, or even terrified them – a woman who inspired and was equally admired.
Now, a new community project has been launched in Moray which aims to celebrate these women.
Groups and individuals, young and old, are being urged to dust off their photographs, and their memories.
The project, loosely named Local Heroines, was conceived following the completion of a book about the Women of Moray, which was co-written by six local people – Susan and Richard Bennett, Mary Byatt, Jenny Main, Janet Trythall and Anne Oliver.
Mrs Oliver said the book, which is likely to be published to coincide with International Women’s Day in 2012, casts the spotlight on 70 remarkable women with Moray connections.
“What we realise now is that our aim to bring these mostly little-known women into the public eye by writing the book is only scratching the surface,” she said.
“We plan to apply for funding in order to ensure that Moray schools, heritage centres, museums and organisations each have a copy so that our women do not return to obscurity.
“We also know there are stories and memories of so many fascinating women out there. The funding would also finance this new project, a website and exhibitions.”
It is hoped groups across Moray will be inspired to produce their own project to celebrate their womenfolk of the past – be it by booklet, an exhibition, a performance or something else.
Community celebrations at the end of the project would be factored into the funding application.
If this has jogged your memories and you want to ensure your favourites are remembered and recorded for posterity you can contact Anne Oliver for more information at anneburnroy@tiscali.co.uk or on 01340 810442.