Mother and Child statue officially unveiled in new permanent location

Published: Mon 23 September, 2024

Coalville’s newly restored Mother and Child statue has been officially unveiled in its new location at the entrance to Belvoir Shopping Centre. The ceremony took place at 12.30pm on Saturday 21 September.

The Mother and Child statue, a key part of the town’s heritage, has undergone a thorough renovation by specialist restorer, Antique Bronze Ltd.

The work to restore and relocate the much-loved statue was funded by the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

Speeches at Saturday’s unveiling were given by North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) chairman, Councillor Kenny Horn, as well as Lucy Branch, director of Antique Bronze Ltd, and Dr Ceri Thomas, son of the statue’s sculptor Robert Thomas.

The statue’s new location is just a short distance from its original position in the middle of the Belvoir Shopping Centre, where it stood following its commissioning in 1963 until the 1980s, when it was moved to outside Coalville Library.

The statue has also been reunited with its original plinth which wasn’t used when the statue was last moved in the 1980s, and had been in storage for over 40 years.

Councillor Richard Blunt, Leader NWLDC, said: “The Mother and Child statue was originally selected in the 1960s because she represented the ‘warm heart of Coalville’. 

“I’m therefore delighted to see her return to her new permanent home right at the heart of the town.

“The painstaking restoration has brought back many of the statue’s fine details which had been slowly lost to corrosion and the elements over the last six decades. 

“It’s wonderful to see the statue back where it belongs, and in such magnificent condition, reunited with the original plinth.

“Returning the statue to the town is the latest step in our programme of improvements to secure Coalville’s future as a modern and thriving town that celebrates its fascinating history and rich heritage.”

On behalf of Gylo, the owners of the Belvoir Shopping Centre, Nick Harcus said, “Given her original installation in our shopping centre over 60 years ago, we are truly delighted to welcome the return of this magnificent and iconic piece of public art. 

“The statue personifies the spirit and heritage of Coalville and we know that she is loved by the local community. She has been beautifully restored and we are proud that she is back where she belongs in the heart of the town.

“We are pleased to be able to give her the prominent location she rightly deserves, so that shoppers and visitors to the town will be able to admire her. We are very grateful to everyone that has made this possible.”