We Will Rise

Located on Market Hill at one end of the main shopping street is this elephant, celebrating the town's diversity and how, over the years, it’s become home to people from all over the world.

The phoenix celebrates the rebirth of both the town itself and the individuals who have built new lives here. The dark smoky earth around the elephant’s feet represents the old lives that people have left behind, for whatever reason. Interestingly, the dark colour used is a special paint called Scorched Earth, which is created using ash collected from Kurdish fields in Iraq, where people’s crops were burnt. ‘From these ashes, hope and kindness rise’..

For a full view of the elephant (including the feet), see the extra.

Part of the celebrations of the 30th anniversary of the local hospice, as well as a fundraiser for them.

This one is described here.

The hospice is here.