THE public will get the chance to buy pieces of suffragette history as wood taken from a memorial tree is turned into new tributes.
The Suffragette Oak was planted in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow, 100 years ago by organisations that fought for votes for women. However, it suffered major damage in Storm Ophelia in October, forcing the city council to chop into the historic tree to make it safe.
Now the off-cuts will to be crafted into new items to commemorate the work of the suffragettes after being gifted to Glasgow Women's Library yesterday. Enterprise development manager Sue John told The National: "The storm took a real slice out of it. If we hadn't been given the oak it would have been turned into woodchip. We will make something beautiful out of it that will raise funds for the continuation of the library and acknowledges the suffragettes."
Discussions on what to make will now begin, with the results available later this year. Glasgow City Council said: “Around 30 per cent of the Suffragette Oak’s canopy was lost as a result of damage caused by Storm Ophelia. The tree also suffered a large tear to its trunk. To make the tree safe, we’ve had to reduce its height and rebalance the canopy. This has altered the tree’s appearance, but it had to be done in a bid to save it and protect the public. The tree’s health will be closely monitored.”
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