The Purple Plaques (Placiau Porffor) scheme in Wales, UK aims to install plaques on buildings to increase recognition of the lives of women who have had a significant and long-lasting impact associated with Wales.
The scheme was initiated by several members of the National Assembly for Wales, led by Julie Morgan, Member of the Senedd for Cardiff North. [1] The purple colour was chosen because of its association with the women's suffrage movement. The scheme was initially organised in partnership with the gender equality charity Chwarae Teg, (Fair Play) and subsequently became an independent charity. [2]
It was launched on 8 March 2017 (International Women's Day) with the aim of installing the first plaque on the Senedd building to commemorate Val Feld. The plaques are glazed purple ceramic with white lettering. Subsequently, one to three plaques have been installed each year. [3]
Criteria for a plaque include that the person must be a deceased woman with strong links to Wales, and that she must have made a remarkable contribution in Wales or beyond. The extent of her impact on women, including as a role model, will also be considered, as well as whether she has already been commemorated. [4] [5] In addition to those who are already well known but may not yet be commemorated publicly, the scheme especially aims to recognise women who have previously not been recognised. [2] Practical considerations such as a need for planning permission will also be considered.
As of February 2024, 15 purple plaques have been installed [6] to mark the following:
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Valerie Anne Feld, was a Welsh Labour Party politician.
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Rose Davies CBE, was a Welsh teacher, feminist, and labour activist, and an elected local official associated with the Independent Labour Party.
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Eunice Stallard was a political and community activist in Wales. She was active in the Labour Party, involved in several peace movements, notably at Greenham Common in 1981 and organised community support during the 1984 - 1985 miner's strike. A Purple Plaque to mark her life was installed in Ystradgynlais in 2020.