A GROUP of ambitious artists have revived stalled plans for a statue of Barnsley and Manchester United footballing legend Tommy Taylor.
Taylor was one of eight Manchester United footballers killed in the Munich air crash on February 6 1958.
He is regarded by those who saw him play as the greatest centre-forward ever to represent Manchester United and England.
The idea for a permanent reminder of Taylor, which sculptor Graham Ibbeson agreed to create, was mooted two years ago by a group called the Tommy Taylor Youth Trust but failed to get off the ground.
Now ArdenArts, whose members include Graham and other local artists such as Tony Heald and Granville Danny Clarke, has revealed the Tommy statue as one of its key projects.
The arts enthusiasts, who only formed this year and meet at Harborough Hills Variety Club on Vernon Street, have taken up the lead on the statue plan as part of their mission to ‘redeem and improve the artistic and cultural reputation of Barnsley’, said secretary Dave Pierrepoint.
He said: “We’re going to do combined fund-raising for the Tommy Taylor statue and one for Ted Hughes in Mexborough.
“The next fund-raising steps are an auction of a Ted Hughes maquette made by Graham and the publication of a Tommy Taylor magazine and we’re going to ask Sir Michael Parkinson to edit it.”
In order to raise the money needed for the Tommy Taylor statue, which could be in the region of £100,000, the arts collective will be tapping into the music scene to drum up support.
“ArdenArts wants to fetch jazz and blues back in to Barnsley, it used to be big in the town,” said Dave, 64, who is also manager of the variety club.
“The idea is that ArdenArts becomes a bit of an arts club with a membership with profits to be spent on visiting artists and promotions like a revived Barnsley Jazz Festival.
“Everything we put on will then raise money to go towards the statue.”
Membership cards for the arts club are being designed by Tony and Graham and ideas are being developed for a gallery area at the club for the sale and display of members’ work is a priority project.
To get involved with ArdenArts or support its statue project, contact Dave on 07523 552272.
