Athlete's statue teaches values of sport at Sedgley school
A primary school has been given a special statue that encourages children to play sport and avoid knife crime.
The three-foot sculpture, designed by Donald Brown, now sits proudly in Cotwall End Primary School, Sedgley.
Mr Brown, aged 56, is also an award-winning sculptor and he combined his passion of sport and art to make the statue.
He was seriously injured in a fight 28 years ago, where his left lung was punctured and a piece of glass was left centimetres from his heart.
Mr Brown said: “There is several messages within the sculpture. This is about looking at knife crime and promoting an active lifestyle.
“I try and address real life issues as well such as a work life balance, and health and wellness.
“The sculpture is like a collage that captures a number of sports such as soccer, cricket, high jumping and fencing.”
The cast resin sculpture took four years to create and features a bronze patina finish.
The statue, called “a sporting chance for peace”, was funded by the Kennedy School of Dance, which is based the school.
The school hold a charity day each year and for its latest instalment, it held activities including a penalty shoot-out, face-painting and pie-throwing, raising £750.
Kennedy James, who runs the school, said: “We held the event because we wanted to give back to the children and the school, and promote the power of team-building and self esteem. They made it possible. They held a special day to to raise money so the school could have the statue for free.”
Mr Brown visited the school and presented the statue to students, as well as giving them a motivational talk.
He also encourage pupils to use the motto “I believe in me”.
“I was telling them to believe in themselves,” he said.
“They might encounter bullies and people who put them down and it is about still believing in yourself.
“One pupil I met wanted to be an architect while another wanted to be a footballer.”
Alongside being a sculptor, Mr Brown is also an athlete.
He won double gold in the National Masters Championships 2019 in the 100m and 200m sprints, held in Birmingham.
Last month, he won triple gold in the European Masters Championships, in the 100m and 200m sprints, and the 100m sprint hurdles, in Italy.
In March, he claimed gold in the 60m hurdles at the World Masters Championships, in Poland.
