We’re honoured to be part of a powerful and inspiring new project led by sculptor, artist and Sanctuary volunteer Kate Viner, celebrating the incredible legacy of Madge Turner.
Alongside Lifecentre, My Sister’s House and Stonepillow, the Sanctuary in Chichester women’s group is helping to co-create a textile flag that brings together the voices and experiences of local women today. Together they will create a collaborative textile flag honouring local suffragist and lifetime campaigner for women’s and children’s rights, Ethel Margaret “Madge” Turner (1884 – 1948).
The Madge Turner Flag Project emerged from a project Kate Viner ran with Sanctuary in Chichester as part of The Novium Museum’s ChichestHER project, which has been funded by the National Lottery Heritage fund, and was inspired by the previous embroidery project Kate co-created with the women’s group for the summer exhibition at Chichester Cathedral.
Kate will be leading creative workshops with women supported by each of the four charities throughout the autumn.
The completed flag will form a centrepiece in the ChichestHER: Their Story, Our Inspiration exhibition in October 2026 at The Novium Museum, Chichester District Council’s award-winning museum.
The embroidered flag will also pave the way for the Madge Turner Statue Appeal – an ambitious campaign to raise funds for a bronze statue of Madge Turner, sculpted by Kate Viner, and hoped to take pride of place in Chichester city centre.
Kate said, “It is a privilege to be leading this project. The flag will be the first co-curated piece of public art created through the collaboration of these charities – a powerful symbol that unifies women’s voices across our community. For me, the collaborative flag is a beautiful way to connect Madge Turner’s fight for women’s rights with the lived experiences of women in Chichester today. My hope is that the finished bronze statue, holding a bronze cast of the flag, will become a lasting symbol of courage, solidarity and change at the heart of our city.”
Read more details and the full press release with more quotes from collaborators here >>