Campaign update - 24th February

This week, we attended an interesting public meeting by the City of Culture bid team about how Hull won the bid. It was well attended with a lively question and answer session. Such meetings are useful to gain more understanding of the context in which our campaign can fit in.

We have been exploring different means of raising funds for the campaign. We were able to attend a Cash for Kids event with Viking FM over the weekend; a worthy cause which helps us to gain ideas on how to put on fundraising events.

The campaign team are looking forward to seeing the play Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah, adapted for stage by our patron Lemn Sissay at Hull Truck at the end of the week.

Last week we mentioned that we had engaged with Transformational Logistics, a group interested in promoting ethical business practice in emerging and developing markets. This week we're featured on their website - you can read the piece here.

We are making final arrangements for our first fundraising event, a quiz night in Cottingham on Friday 14th March. Tickets are still available, so please pre-book your tickets by emailing us (tickets are not available on the door).

All ideas are welcome, so please make suggestions for a fundraising event, do something or donate because every pound counts towards this joint effort.

The image is from the front cover of Christopher Ketchell's 1997 book, Postcards of Old Hull (The Hutton Press, Beverley).

Campaign update - 17th February

As well as relighting the monument, this campaign has taken an increasing focus on issues of slavery not just in the past, but sadly in the present as well. Figures from the International Labour Organisation estimate that over 20 million people remain in slavery today and such shocking figures show that slavery is not just an event of yesteryear but is a very current problem for many people today.

We continue to focus on relighting the monument, but there remains an emphasis on the surrounding issues of slavery and equality.

Wider Discussions

This week we have continued discussions with other like-minded groups in order to work together and increase the prominence of our campaign. We have engaged with members of the And Albert Foundation who are working with Transformational Logistics to help communities by turning historic slave-trade routes into modern day ethical trade corridors.

We have also shared ideas with Hull Identity and are working with the Hull Freedom Centre. As a collective we believe that their philosophies are linked to our campaign in theme. We're hoping to work together with such initiatives to hopefully give us all a 'louder voice'.

The Monument

In our attempt to understand the options available to us in terms of finding the most effective and appropriate way of lighting the monument, we have had conversations with Hull BID who were instrumental in lighting Holy Trinity Church. We've also spoken to officers from Hull City Council.

We will consult lighting specialists to gain a firm understanding of costs and likely future maintenance in achieving the most effective lighting option. The monument is listed and the possibility of using sustainable methods will not be overlooked.

Fundraising

Two supporters of the Fund are planning to raise money through sponsorship by walking the Wilberforce Way this summer, a 57 mile, two day walk that starts at the Deep and ends at York Minster, passing many of the places associated with the life of William Wilberforce.

If you are interested in joining our two intrepid walkers and raising sponsorship for the Fund, please contact us by email. If 57 miles is too long for you, you can contact us for details on shorter walks.

Thank you for your continued support. You can donate here, like us on Facebook here, and follow us on Twitter here.

Image is from Elsom, Kenneth. F. Postcards of Hull (The Avenue Press, n.d.), p.43. “Queen’s Garden’s, Hull. C.1936. The former site of Queen’s dock. The in-filling of the dock took four years. The gardens were laid out at a cost of £200,000.” 

Update - 9th February

We have had some significant media interest this week, enjoying a feature article in the Hull Daily Mail on Tuesday and a piece on Calendar News on Thursday evening. If you didn't catch them, you can read the Mail piece here, and view the news report on the Calendar website here.

We have also reached out to some small businesses this week within Hull and the East Riding to make them aware of the campaign.  We are hoping to let most of the Hull and East Riding area know about this campaign with all of our efforts. We are now trying to reach out to schools at all levels, so please come forward and let us know that you support the campaign.

Too often we don’t listen to our elders but this week we have been honoured with the recounted memory of Mrs Eileen Myers, a woman now in her 90's originally from Hull and now living in Newark, who remembers the monument being moved from its original position on Monument Bridge as a 14-year-old girl. She also recalls regularly being taken by her father to visit Wilberforce House. Oral history can be a valuable thing; go ahead and ask the senior citizens of Hull because as is often the case, stories from years ago are far easier to recall.

We are still awaiting HMRC to register us so that we can claim Gift Aid, but in the meantime please let generosity prevail and donate when you can. Thank you to those of you who have done so already.

Credit to Fine Art America for the image. The picture shows the seal of the Society for the Abolition of Slavery in England in the 1780s, later used as the emblem of the American Abolitionist movement.

Campaign update - 2nd February

This week we have welcomed the current William Wilberforce as the second patron of our charity. William is a direct descendant of William Wilberforce (the abolitionist). He currently lives in Markington Hall near Harrogate and still retains some allegiance to Hull.

Also this week, we had the opportunity to present to members within the Hull Chamber of Commerce who expressed their commitment to back the campaign. We'll provide you with more updates as their support develops.

As we wait for HMRC to register the charity, we are busy thinking of different opportunities for fundraising so please send us your ideas via Facebook, Twitter or email.

Don’t forget to shop through easyfunding.org.uk (more details on our Donate page). It does not cost you anything so it is a great way to contribute to the campaign.

Image taken from skyscrapercity.com - credit to legolamb for the picture. This is Queen Victoria Square in 1903. It shows the monument before it was moved to its present position.  The Dock Offices are on the left hand side and to get your bearings, the dock is in front of the monument and the present day Princes Quay is in front, slightly to the right.