Walsall Arboretum welcomes royalty to its park
They unveiled a statue of corgis to commemorate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Last updated 2nd Oct 2024
Walsall Arboretum has welcomed some royalty to its park, in the form of a statue.
They have unveiled a statue of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s corgis outside the Arboretum’s visitor centre.
They were commissioned by Walsall Council and created by local artists Julie Edwards and Ron Thompson of Planet Art- who even included statue water bowls to go with it.
The intention is for the statue to commemorate the Queen's legacy and her beloved corgi dogs.
The Vice Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands, Mrs Louise Bennett OBE, said: “Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II placed her service to her people, country and Commonwealth first and had a number of passions for the countryside particularly Balmoral in Scotland.
“We also know she had a passion for her animals, especially her corgis, so how unique of Walsall to commemorate the life of the late Queen with a very special statue,” Mrs Bennett said.
There was an unveiling ceremony on Saturday 28 September where various dignitaries were in attendance, including The Mayor of Walsall.
There was a performance by the West Midlands Police Brass Band and a poem read by local poet Emma Purshouse too.
The Mayor of Walsall, Councillor Anthony Harris, said: “The Queen's lifelong love of dogs is something many of us can relate to, and the sculptures will help us preserve her memory and represent the treasured memories that many of us hold on to.
“Also, as Mayor of Walsall, it is my privilege to raise funds for my chosen charities and it is appropriate that one of these charities is the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.
“I hope that visitors, families and children will love the corgis and bring their own dogs to visit as well,” Councillor Harris said.