The van driver from Hull – yes, HULL – was reversing on her wing mirrors when she hit the statue, toppling it off the plinth. Smashed beyond repair, it had stood for twenty years in our Ferrers Centre courtyard. It was entitled ‘GUST’ and, as they say, it’s an ill wind which brings nobody any good – we now have a £3000.00 cheque in compensation.
So, what to do with the money? I feel that I would like to use it to display several items of sculpture in the courtyard, as a showcase for the makers, and interest for our visitors. On what basis is still uncertain; in the past insurance has been a stumbling block when we’ve looked to display expensive pieces. Suggestions welcome, to Caroline or John.
We have one upstairs studio to let at present, otherwise our Ferrers Centre is fully occupied and busy. Our blacksmiths have work to last till the end of the year, and the Margetts are looking for an extra helper, preferably with some art training, in their picture framing business.
On the estate management side we also have plenty of work in front of us, and have two extra helpers at present. One job we’re tackling in this dry spell is the repair of the weir leading to our Serpentine Lake. We bought these lakes in 1974, and had to rebuild this weir completely. Obviously we didn’t do a very good job because the water has found a way underneath the stone spillway and gouged a channel big enough for a small child to crawl down. Lacking suitable children we will build a coffer dam, pump the water out and plug hole with stones and concrete. These are the sorts of jobs I enjoy.