BANNERS AND BROOMSTICKS.....

        

I so nearly didn't go.   After all, although I'm very fit and healthy for 84, my knowledge of getting around London is rather shaky.. And D. visualised me getting abducted/mugged/white slave trafficked etc. etc. so I did agree to wear a body belt. I rather hoped there might be other people at the station going to the march to celebrate women getting the vote, but no..   It seemed as if I was the only woman from our town of about forty thousand to be joining in this vast celebration. Perhaps they had gone earlier...

 Two stations on, it happened. On the platform was a tall person in an elegant grey tailored costume down to the ground, topped by a magnificent hat, swathed in net and crowned with flowers and ostrich feathers. This vision, plus friend mounted the train, and soon we were talking.   In front of me was a statuesque, very erect person, with a shapely figure and small waist, but a deep voice, and large hands.  I was fascinated.   We discussed the outfit, finding the hat on ebay and how hot it might be wearing a corset on a sunny day. "You've nearly got a wasp waist!"   "No " he said "Well, 28 inch.."

I asked if I might draw the hat - of course - no problem - and set to work.     This was going to be a fantastic day.

 At Euston, we met other marchers, and decided to walk from Green Park to Marble Arch... Strolling through the park in the sunshine, we met up with other groups, some with banners and the excitement of the day grew.                                                                                                                                       

  

More and more laughing, excited women and girl were now marching towards us, some bearing amazing, impressive banners that must have taken weeks to make... Others had home made cardboard creations, with great captions, full of wit and wisdom. 

 As thousands of women slowly moved along Park Lane, we were handed long, filmy scarves to wear - green, white or purple  Some were twisted into turbans, some draped around shoulders.  A large dog had one as a big bow round his neck.  Lanes of colour were to be filmed from the air, to create a giant art work.

 I found myself walking alongside a large group of young women carrying very eye catching, fantastic banners, and gathered that these had been made by women in East Sutton prison, in Kent, with the help of art students, who were carrying them on the march.    I gathered that this prison is highly rated for rehabilitation projects, to ease women back into society..

 By now, the numbers of people were vast, the procession stretching way ahead, and behind us...  The feeling of camaraderie was intense; people broke into conversations with total strangers, freely.  Such togetherness..




 
 I caught up with two young women, with children, carrying a great home made banner, supported by two kitchen brooms.....  The message was simply "HOPE"...  The children told me how they had helped to make it, and were justly proud...  I felt that the use of these ubiquitous objects was exactly right.

Much has been done, but much still remains to be done. Working for a charity as a life coach, I had just met a young woman who fled her home, with young children, after being badly abused and totally controlled.     There is still much to change.