Decision day for shipbuilding heritage sculptures

One of the sculptures depicts shipyard workers on a break reading The Echo

Plans for new riverside sculptures paying tribute to a city's shipbuilding heritage are set to be decided next week.

The new sculptures will become part of Sunderland’s Sculpture Trail which was launched more than three decades ago and runs along the final part of the Coast to Coast cycle route.

Two of the sculptures have been created by famous North East artist Ray Lonsdale and will complement the ‘Gan Canny’ sculpture in the city's Keel Square.

The third sculpture is a tribute to the city’s forgotten female shipyard workers created by Sunderland-born artist Dr Ron Lawson.

One sculpture shows a young girl sitting with her grandfather

Sunderland City Council’s planning committee will discuss separate applications for the new public art pieces along the riverside walkway in the St Peter’s ward.

The sculptures aim to “pay tribute to the city as a global hub of shipbuilding” and “tell the story of the decline of shipbuilding in the city, and ultimately the closure of the yards”.

Planning applications for the three sculptures have already been publicised and the artworks are expected to be installed later this year, subject to approval.

One sculpture, called 'Molly', pays tribute to Sunderland’s female shipyard workers

The first Ray Lonsdale piece ‘It Says Here’ is a large sculpture depicting two shipyard workers having their lunch together and will be located between Palmer’s Hill Road and the ‘Shadows in Another Light’ sculpture.

Ray's second piece, ‘Launch Day’, will be based nearby and depicts a young girl sitting with her grandfather overlooking the river Wear, hearing stories of what it was like to work in the shipyards.

The third sculpture, ‘Molly’, is by Dr Ron Lawson, whose own career started in heavy industry.

The sculpture would be installed on the riverside walkway opposite the National Glass Centre.

Ron's sculpture has been commissioned by the Sunderland branch of the Soroptimists who support and champion women and girls worldwide.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the aim of the sculpture was to showcase the important role women played in the city's shipyards during the Second World War.

The Sculpture Trail, which was created by sculptor Colin Wilbourn and writer Chaz Brenchley, aims to bring together Sunderland's past and present with local people playing a major part in making the trail.

The council's planning committee will meet on 30 September at City Hall. The meeting will start from 17:30 BST and will be open to the public.