Colchester High Street statue fundraiser hits £80,000 target

The statue will portray poet Jane Taylor, who is said to have penned Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star at her home in West Stockwell Street, Colchester, and her sister Ann.

The effort is being led by Colchester High Steward Sir Bob Russell who said immortalising the sisters in cast bronze will help to boost tourism.

Planning permission has already been granted for the statue to be installed outside Tesco Express once complete.

Cash - Richard Lamberth has pledged £10,000 to Sir Bob Russell's statue campaign (Image: Newsquest)

Sir Bob, 77, has now received the final £10,000 he needed to meet the £80,000 bill for creating the statue and is hoping to have it in place during autumn.

It was pledged by charity boss Richard Lamberth, who grew up in Head Street, Colchester and founded The Lamberth Foundation.

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He said: “I spent the happiest days of my life, my childhood, living in a flat in Head Street with my mum, dad and sisters.

“We are all proud of Colchester and its history and are delighted to support this project to remember that the most famous nursery rhyme in the world was written in our city."

Campaign - Sir Bob with a scaled down model of the statue (Image: Public)

Sir Bob said he rented an office from “astonishing entrepreneur” Mr Lamberth when he was first elected as Colchester MP in 1997.

“It was the £10,000 from Mr Lamberth which took us to the £80,000 target which enabled the go-ahead to be given for the statue to be cast, he added.

“This is underway and it is hoped it will be installed in the autumn.

“We are still fundraising, however, because we need money to pay for the statue’s installation and paving.”

Event - Tim Young and Sir Bob onstage during a previous fundraiser (Image: Seana Hughes)

The former MP’s vision has been backed by the city he represented, with about 130 people rallying at Colchester Arts Centre last November during another fundraiser.

Those in attendance at the event got a first glimpse at a scaled down model of the statue which was made by Mandy Pratt, of Ardleigh, and put on show.

Ms Pratt also made the statue of footballer Peter Wright at Colchester United’s former home at Layer Road.

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