Last week Bee Moor WI joined the Pankhurst museum in the Manchester Day parade to celebrate everything that makes the city amazing.

We dressed as suffragettes in tribute to Emmeline Pankhurst and the suffragettes whose fight for women’s suffrage began in Manchester. We all held purple, green and white ribbons, we wore sashes saying “Votes for Women” and matching rosettes saying “Rise Up, Women”.

This year there was a new route for the parade. We began at Princess Street, walked down Deansgate and finished at the Manchester Cathedral. The crowds were quieter at the beginning of the route to make room for families. Then, as we walked down Deansgate the crowds were fuller and people who were eager to join in with our suffragette chants.

The parade was the debut for our patchwork banner, which we took turns to carry around the parade route. Our group also held banners from the Pankhurst Museum and placards for the Women’s Social and Political Union with suffragette messages.

The parade featured groups from all over Manchester including dance troupes, theatre groups and art collectives. We may have been exhausted by the end but we can’t wait to go back again next year!