Helen Molyneux was recently named one of the BBC’s 100 Women 2024. After her work in recent years to campaign for the first statue of a “real” Welsh woman to be built in Wales, it should surely come as no surprise. But Molyneux remains humble when she greets me on our Zoom call, describing it as a “real honour to think you’re in the same category as some of those women”. She is reluctant to take all of the credit, admitting that she has a “really good team of women” behind her working on the project.

And how exactly do you start working on a campaign for the first statue of a Welsh woman in Wales, when most people wouldn’t even realise that it’s a problem? Even Molyneux herself found it hard to believe, with the whole project starting “after a drink one night,” where she found out about it from a journalist who had written an article on it. Such observations led to the foundation of Monumental Welsh Women, determined to change things once and for all.

The next task was choosing the first Welsh woman who deserves a monument, when there are so many to choose from. Naturally, it’s a difficult choice. Molyneux explains that they worked with Women’s Equality Network – a group that put a list of 100 women together to do an exhibition as a part of the centenary of women first getting the vote. After that, it was down to Monumental Welsh Women to put a group together, involving counsellors, historians, and local community groups, to narrow it down to just five. She refers to the research that went into this list as “another really nice part of the process,” especially as “there are so many women in Wales who have contributed over the years, most of which have been completely forgotten.”

“There are so many women in Wales who have contributed over the years, most of which have been completely forgotten”

Another important aspect of the final five women chosen that Molyneux is keen to promote was that they are “from all walks of life,” and represent “different areas of achievement, but also the spirit of all the other women on the list.” Unsurprisingly, when it came down to the Welsh public getting to vote for which woman they wanted to be commemorated, it had a huge reaction. Molyneux laughs as she says, “my favourite statistic was that we had more votes in our poll than the semi-final of Strictly Come Dancing that year.”

The public’s choice of Betty Campbell, who was Wales’ first black head-teacher, became the first statue to be unveiled in 2021. In spite of the initial plan for only one statue, the Welsh government agreed to contribute to the costs if Monumental Welsh Women committed to five statues. Molyneux laughs, recalling that it “was a bit of a moment because we really only planned to do one.” But each woman chosen further adds to a new way of showcasing Welsh women previously forgotten. “It’s also about normalising women’s success,” she adds. “I almost want people to walk past and not notice them. I think that the more statues we have, and representations of women who have achieved things in public spaces, the more normal it will be.”

“Just get on and do it. Just be bold and make sure that you take people along with you”

When discussing the challenges that come along with such a task, her background as a lawyer has served her particularly well. Although Molyneux admits that she originally wanted to be a journalist, “a lot of the skills are quite similar in terms of investigating,” as well as asking lots of questions. “One of the things that I’d learned as a lawyer is that if you start to worry about all of the problems, you’d never do anything. So you have to just start and keep on going,” an attitude that is necessary when you’re talking about raising figures upwards of £500k.

Although Molyneux acknowledges that “raising the money is difficult,” Monumental Welsh Women have found creative ways. The obvious options include a go-fund-me, and the choice to donate on their website, and there are also plans to hold an exhibition in March at the Senedd. The portraits, as well as limited edition prints of them, will also be sold to raise more money which will hopefully get them one step closer to reaching their last £40K for the fifth and final statue of Elizabeth Andrews.

A running theme throughout our conversation also captured the importance of teamwork. “Get a good group behind you,” and who knows what you could achieve.” But, what struck me most was the advice that Molyneux had for students who have plans on starting their own campaigns. “Just get on and do it. Just be bold and make sure that you take people along with you.”

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