THEY were each, in their own way, pioneers – with achievements ranging from setting up public wash houses to advancing women’s education, and initiating the family allowance scheme.

Yet despite this, not a single statue exists in Liverpool to commemorate the towering figures of Kitty Wilkinson, Josephine Butler and Eleanor Rathbone.

Now a group of campaigners is hoping to put this right by raising enough money to have statues of these three remarkable women installed in St George’s Hall.

Meetings are already under way with English Heritage to ensure the marble sculptures are consistent in style with those already well established in the Grade I-listed building.

Discussions are also taking place with potential funding partners, including Liverpool City Council, to raise the £120,000 needed to commission and create the three sculptures.

The council’s deputy leader, Flo Clucas, is spearheading the campaign to have statues of the three women placed alongside those of the existing all-male great and the good in the main hall.

She said that, out of more than 760 statues in the city, only six commemorate the lives and achievements of the city’s women.

“I am passionate about having the lives and work of Liverpool’s women honoured in this way.

“These women have each had a huge impact upon the city and its citizens, be that through education, health or benefits. They deserve to be honoured alongside other memorials to the men who also changed lives in this city.”