About the project

The monument is based on a poem written by Presentation resident Cécile Nobrega, the President and Founder of the Bronze Woman Monument Project.  Cécile, now 89, was born in Guyana and has travelled the world as a member of the International Alliance of Women, reading the poem she wrote over thirty years ago in many countries and to very different audiences. Follow this link to read the poem.

 

The poem ‘Bronze Woman’ was written to honour the women of the Caribbean Community.  It is a moving recognition of the significance of Caribbean women who despite their limited economic and political power have, on reflection set a shining example across the vertical and horizontal divisions of international society as major contributors to human development.

 

The Bronze Woman Monument Project was launched on 1 December 1995 with a vision to build a statue of a large Bronze Woman erected at a public site in London.  A committee of 10 people was formed to carry out fundraising plans, find a suitable sculptor and location for the monument, obtain planning permission and raise general awareness of the project.

 

Lambeth has a historical connection with those brought over on the ‘Empire Windrush’, it also has one of the most culturally diverse communities in the country and this is predicted to increase.  Many of the Caribbean immigrants arriving from overseas in the 50’s and 60’s made south London their home.