A 'Dream' of a day

10th August 2009

The ex-miners who commissioned Dream, the 20-metre high sculpture of a young girls head on the site of the former Sutton Manor Colliery, will be given a surprise gift at a special presentation this

The ex-miners who commissioned Dream, the 20-metre high sculpture of a young girl’s head on the site of the former Sutton Manor Colliery, will be given a ‘surprise’ gift at a special presentation this Saturday 8 August.

Held at the site of Dream, the UK’s leading independent art charity The Art Fund will give the ex-miners the gift in recognition of their huge achievement in making Dream a reality.

The Art Fund was a key partner of Channel 4’s The Big Art Project – in which the ex-miners from St.Helens were given the chance to commission a piece of public art for the community – and gave £181,000 towards the creation of Dream.

Hanny Woods, The Art Fund’s North West chairwoman will present the gift to the 11 ex-miners including Gary Conley, Mel Moran, Frank Leech, Terry Murray, Brian Salkeld, John Hamon Jnr, John Hamon Snr, Tommy Frodsham, Dave Stevens, Chris Sephton, and Ste Conlin.

St. Helen’s Council Leader Brian Spencer formerly worked down Sutton Manor Colliery and will speak at the presentation. He said: “It has been an incredible journey to see Dream take shape. It has put St.Helens on the map and gives a landmark sense of welcome. It has really captured the heart of the community and this gift is the icing on the cake.”

Catalan artist Jaume Plensa was commissioned to create Dream and it opened to the public on 31 May 2009.