Businesses back Bridgnorth's statue trail
Six businesses have signed up to a project which will see statues of an iconic train installed around Bridgnorth.
Representatives from six business pledged up to £2,000 towards the Bridgnorth Statue Trail project, which is due to open next summer.
Those signing up include Bridgnorth Aluminium, Alfa Travel, Grainger and Worrall Ltd, the Marches Centre of Manufacturing and Technology, Bridgnorth Rugby Club, Holden’s Brewery and A V Birch Ltd.
The first eight statues are due to be cast in iron at the Grainger and Worrall foundry in Bridgnorth later this year.
The trail aims to site up to 15 cast-iron statues around the town which will be in the shape of the iconic Catch Me Who Can steam locomotive – the world’s first fare-paying passenger engine built in Bridgnorth in 1808 for Richard Trevithick.
The statues will all be decorated by different local artists.
Project coordinator, Councillor Julia Buckley was at the ceremony. She said: “We are thrilled that so many local businesses have already committed to supporting the statue trail. It means the project is really on track and it is full steam ahead from now on.” The statues for the trail were originally going to be made out of fibreglass, however, Grainger and Worrall stepped in with an offer to cast the design in iron which will save a large part of the costs.
The company is also sponsoring a statue themselves.
Meanwhile, engineering company A V Birch were represented by Vince Jones who expressed his hope that the Statue Trail would bring many more visitors into the town.
Holden’s Brewery in Dudley was chosen as the venue for signing due to the company’s close ties with Bridgnorth.
Sibling directors Abbi Kemp and Jonathan Holden grew up in and around Bridgnorth with Jonathan being born in the town’s hospital.
“We have always wanted to create closer ties between Holden’s Brewery and Bridgnorth,” said Jonathan Holden. Sponsoring one of the Statues seemed like an obvious step.”
The company have also recently purchased and renovated the Golden Lion pub in Bridgnorth High Street.
Three local engineering companies have also stepped up to support the project.
Matthew Snelson who represented both Grainger and Worrall and the Marches Centre of Manufacturing and Technology said: “We love the idea of different companies working together on a project because this is what the Marches Centre is all about.”
The Statue Trail is due to open in Bridgnorth early in the summer of 2018.
For more information on project sponsorship contact Councillor Sarah Stevens on sarah@dolphinix.co.uk
