Business leaders do their bit for the Annie Kenney Project

Asian business leaders joined Oldham dignitaries at the town centre's Cafe Lahore restaurant for a sold-out Business Network Dinner in support of the Annie Kenney Project.

Annie Kenney was a leading member of the suffragete movement.

She came from Oldham and had working class origins.

She was the only working class woman to hold a senior position in the ‘Women’s Social and Political Union’ (WSPU), which spearheaded the campaign for universal suffrage under the banner ‘Votes for Women'.

The Annie Kenney Project aims to raise, by public subscription, the funding to erect a statue in her honour outside Oldham's historic Town Hall, in Parliament Square.

Sculptor Denise Dutton has been commissioned to create the statue, which is due to be unveiled in December.

The Cafe Lahore event proved a huge success, and more than £3,000 was raised on the night alone.

Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon, who was instrumental in setting up the Annie Kenney Project approximately two years ago, led the speeches during what proved an inspirational evening.

Also taking to the floor were joint event organiser Councillor Abdul Malik, popular local businessman Frank Rothwell and Oldham Council leader Sean Fielding, while the guest speaker was Rubbi Bhogal-Wood, founder of Wild and Form Digital.

Mr McMahon told the Chronicle about the significance and importance of the Annie Kenney Project, and what he hopes the sculpture in the town centre will go on to represent.

He said: "After a public consultation a number of years ago it was clear people didn't want a statue of any political grandees, they wanted it to represent everyday people who have made an extraordinary contribution.

"After our initial research, Annie Kenney stood out head and shoulders.

"She was a working class woman who went on to help change the course of history.

"Everyone made a contribution to the suffragette cause, but Annie's struggles, where she came from and where she ended up in seeing women gaining the right to vote, is really inspiring.

"When people use democracy, and believe there's a political power to achieve real change, it can make people's lives better.

"That's what Annie did - she wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. She wasn't willing to accept that things had to be the way they were.

"I believe that's what's inspiring about politics, and that's what drew me into it.

"We haven't received big grants for this project, or donations from the Lottery or the Government, it's been people-powered by lots of fund-raising events by people of all ages from right across Oldham."

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