Henfield's woman suffrage memorial

Henfield Community Partnership in conjunction with Horsham District Council has secured funding from the Women’s Vote Centenary Fund and the Council’s HDC’s Year of Culture, to create community mosaics for public display in Henfield.

The village has a rich cultural history which will be depicted in the final mosaics. A key part of this will be the role that the village played in the women’s movement through local resident, Elizabeth Robins and her time at Backsettown Farmhouse.

The project is being delivered through specialist community arts organisation, Creative Waves, who will be asking the whole community to get involved in designing and making the mosaics. Creative Waves will be working with St Peter’s C of E School, Henfield Haven and Henfield Youth Club in particular although there will also be open workshops where everyone will be invited along to add their thoughts, design ideas and making skills to the final artworks.

The first open workshop will be held at Henfield Youth Club on Tuesday November 13th from 3.30pm onwards. The second open workshop is on Thursday 15th November at Henfield Hall from 2:30pm to 4:30pm.  Everyone is invited to come along to these sessions and bring their ideas and enthusiasm as well as any maps, photos, stories etc. about Henfield past and present.  This open sessions are completely free of charge and there will be fun creative activities as well as refreshments.

The mosaic making workshop will take place on 8th December at Henfield Hall.  Again, everyone is invited to come and make a mosaic.  The creative session will be completely free of charge and there will be other fun activities for all the family to take part in, plus refreshments from the wonderful Henfield Women’s Institute.

I am really pleased that the Horsham District Year of Culture has been able to support this unique project for the people of Henfield and that so many locals are going to be involved in making it all happen.

“It really serves to illustrate the depth and breadth of our District’s culture which is what the Year of Culture celebrations are all about. There has never been a better time to get involved with our local heritage.”

Horsham District Council Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure Cllr Jonathan Chowen

Chair of Henfield Community Partnership, Carol Eastwood said: “This is a wonderful opportunity to raise the awareness of not only the village’s rich cultural history, but particularly to highlight the crucial role the village played in the development of the Women’s Movement and support for suffragettes recovering from hunger strike.  We can’t wait to get involved in creating a permanent legacy in the village in time for the 2019 Year of Culture and our thanks go to Horsham District Council for their support in making this project happen”.

The mosaics will be finished by the end of the year and will be on display around the village soon afterwards as a lasting memorial to Henfield’s cultural and historical importance. If you want to get involved, or for more information, please contact info@creativewaves.co.uk