The team of volunteers behind the Statue for Elsie Inglis campaign have raised £33,000 of their goal of £50,000 with a range of events held in March.
Now with £25,000 in the bank and a further donation of £8,000 pledged by The University of Edinburgh, the long-awaited statue seems a realistic prospect.
Thea Laurie co-founder of the Campaign said: ‘We are still smiling as we finish the first phase.
“Highlights of the campaign have taken us across Edinburgh from The City Chambers to St Giles Cathedral, The French Institute, St Andrew’s and St George’s Church, Dine Restaurant – even to the Outhouse Pub including events with illustrious speakers – Prof Linda Bauld, Hugh Pym, archivists, novelists, descendants of Elsie Inglis and Jenni Minto MSP as she led a Cross Party Debate supporting our campaign in The Scottish Parliament.”
The second phase of fundraising will now begin with a new plan of action in the group’s bid to ensure that Elsie will become the first woman to be commemorated with a statue on the Royal Mile.
Professor Lesley McAra, University of Edinburgh Assistant Principal of Community Relations, said: ‘We are delighted to be part of this wonderful tribute to Dr Elsie Inglis. This excellent campaign from all involved, will ensure that Dr Inglis’ outstanding contribution to medicine, women’s education and the suffrage movement is rightly celebrated and that her legacy continues. I look forward to seeing the statue in place in the near future.”
The Rt Hon Lord Provost Frank Ross, who started the campaign following the commemorations to mark a hundred years since Dr Inglis died, said:
“This is a fantastic amount of money raised for a Statue for Elsie. I’ve been proud to be involved and to see first-hand how Elsie’s life and story still inspire us all to this day. I would like to congratulate the wonderful team of volunteers and fundraisers for their efforts so far – I have no doubt that we will soon see a fitting tribute to Dr Elsie Inglis on the streets of the capital.”
Fiona Garwood co-founder of the Campaign added: ‘We are so grateful for all the wonderful support we have received so far. This long overdue statue of Elsie Inglis is now becoming an exciting reality”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
