Apprentices from an engineering firm have helped to create a unique archway to celebrate the life of Queen Elizabeth II.
Newcastle Borough Council commissioned the 3m high galvanised steel archway, featuring a crown at its peak, at the entrance to the town’s Queens Gardens.
It was created by apprentices from IAE, based in Stoke-on-Trent, under the guidance of local sculptor Andy Edwards.
Chris Morris, Learning and Development Manager at IAE, said: “This was a wonderful project to be involved with; it gave our apprentices the chance to show off their skills for a real life project and also delivered a fantastic sculpture for the town.
“As a company it’s great to be able to give something back to the local community and we hope that the people of Newcastle enjoy seeing the structure as they walk through the gardens.
“I’m sure it’s something the apprentices will remember for the rest of their lives too and we’re immensely proud of what they’ve achieved.”
The project was supported by Derek Mawby Paving and Newcastle South LAP.
The installation is the latest in a series of public works celebrating the 850th anniversary of the Borough being granted a Royal Charter, commemorating the death of Queen Elizabeth II, and celebrating the town’s successful connection with Britain in Bloom.
As announced yesterday, 23 October, Newcastle-Under-Lyme was awarded the overall prize at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom contest, out of 44 finalists from across the UK. The town also won a Gold award in the Small City category.
The arch’s crown is a twice full-size representation of the St Edward Crown traditionally used in Coronations and the crown and its jewels are fabricated in flowers and fauna typically found in North Staffordshire.
Craig Skelding, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Leisure, Culture and Heritage, said: “We’re aware that a decorative arch, topped with a crown, framed the entrance to Queens Gardens in the 1960s and we wanted to recreate that.
“The final result is excellent and a credit to the apprentices at IAE.”
As well as the archway, the local authority has commissioned the retiling of a nearby subway with a unique decoration featuring images of Queens Victoria and Elizabeth II intertwined with the 850th anniversary logo, and is seeking to erect a statue of Queen Elizabeth II in Queens Gardens.
