Birmingham Women 's heritage trail launched
Birmingham Civic Society and Birmingham and Solihull Women 's Aid (BSWA) have launched a new Birmingham Women 's Heritage Trails leaflet ready for International Women 's Day.
The Birmingham Women 's Heritage Trails leaflet tells the stories of some of the many women who have played an important part in the city 's history.
The leaflet also explores the many important contributions made by women to the Abolitionist and Women 's Suffrage movements, and the key role played by women during the First and Second World Wars.
The leaflet comprises two trails: a city centre walking tour and an out-of-town trail that takes in a range of neighbourhoods including Edgbaston, Bournville, Northfield and Kings Norton.
The city centre trail features influential figures such as Theresa Stewart (the first and so far only female leader of Birmingham City Council), Dr Mary Sturge (the second female doctor to practice in the city), Malala Yousafzai (the educational activist who made Birmingham her home after surviving an assassination attempt by the Taliban in 2012), and Joyce Green (whose vision led to the creation of the Coffin Works museum).
The out of town trail highlights the achievements of a variety of women including the philanthropists Louisa Ryland and Dame Elizabeth Cadbury, the suffragette and trade unionist Julia Varley, and the US Women 's Army Corps 6888th Central Postal Battalion (the first and only all-black female unit to be posted overseas during the Second World War).
Alongside the heritage trails the Civic Society has commissioned a number of new blue plaques commemorating individual women including philanthropist Louisa Ryland, politician Theresa Stewart, Quaker aid-worker and joint founder of the Kindertransport, Bertha Bracey, and pioneering photographer Emma Barton.
Anna Fawcett, from Birmingham & Solihull Women 's Aid, said: “This is a fantastic project and we are particularly pleased to have worked in partnership with BCS to highlight the contributions of the many extraordinary women who have helped to shape our great city. ”
Prof Michael Butler, chair of the Civic Society, said: “We are thrilled to be delivering a project which not only enables people to discover more about the many women who have contributed to the history of Birmingham but will also hopefully inspire others to get involved in the future of the city. ”