A STUNNING statue that pays tribute to the town’s workers who lost their lives through the decades "will make future generations aware of our proud and industrial heritage", a ceremony was told.
The 1.8m structure depicting an industrial worker holding a child was officially revealed at the Vera Page Park, near to the Steve Prescott Bridge at a ceremony on Sunday morning.
Dignitaries including St Helens South and Whiston MP Marie Rimmer and mayor of St Helens Cllr Pat Ireland attended and spoke at the unveiling, with music performed and poetry read by Lynn Gerrard.
The St Helens Workers Memorial charity came up with the idea of the a memorial, situated at the former Lyons Yard, an area of regenerated former industrial land that was the centre of a range of heavy industries.
The sculpture is made up from tools which have been donated and was created by Dorset-based Slovakian artist and blacksmith Martin Gilbavy (Pictures: Bernard Platt)
Richard McCauley was a driving force behind the artwork's creation
Near Saints’ stadium and retail parks it forms “a unique juxtaposition between the town’s industrial heritage and future aspirations”.
The idea was first mooted by Martin Bond and Richard McCauley, who had been inspired by the construction workers memorial in Ontario, Canada.
Trustees Paul Pritchard and John Riley also helped make the memorial in the town a reality.
READ> 30 years on: The darkest hour and a half in Saints' history
At the unveiling, John Riley said: “Social support can reduce the effect of such a loss and having a public memorial shows such support to affected families.
“This monument is about inclusion, it’s to the forgotten, the unsung, those people who have lost their lives because of their job. Those by their toil have made our lives better.”
The structure is made up from tools which have been donated and was created by Dorset-based Slovakian artist and blacksmith Martin Gilbavy.
“Many of the tools are generated from this area, some just from father to son, tradesman to apprentice giving the statue its industrial pedigree,” added John.
“This is a public memorial, this is your memorial. The statue forms part of an international network, it puts St Helens on the global map.
“It demonstrates a forward looking community that takes pride in its industrial heritage and looking positively to the future.
“The creation of a new cultural icon will help create civic pride in the town and help us to respect and understand people of a different era and how their contributions over a hundred years gave us our lives as we know them now.
“The memorial will make future generations aware of our proud and industrial heritage and the dangers in the workplace and the need for safety.
“We will provide education and help us learn from our mistakes and not to repeat them.
“We are where we are today because of yesterday.”
A plaque and surround is still be added to the statue in Vera Page park (Picture: Robbob)
Musicians entertained the small crowd that gathered in the park (Pictures: Bernard Platt)
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here