CASPER (Coleshill Art Space Project)

On 22 September, at a Family Fun Day, Coleshill, through the CASPER project, unveilied its fine piece of public art which sums up the town’s history in 11ft of bronze and steel. Coleshill aims to be among a big tourist attraction and now has a talking point, like the Copenhagen mermaid. A large crowd watched town mayor Cllr Tony Battle pull off the cover to reveal a circus elephant balanced on two legs on a stage coach wheel. Helping Cllr Battle with the unveiling were Peggy Childs, now in her 90s, and The Coleshill School student Charlotte Revans. The elephant, facing the medieval bridge, commemorates the circus elephant which choked on a swede and died as it passed through the town over 100 years ago. It also celebrates John Sumner’s Typoo Tea brand, blended to relieve his sister’s indigestion. The stylised shape of the elephant also repesents a teapot - the tail the handle and the trunk the spout, tipped over to pour tea. The wheel is a reference to the coaching history of the town, but also a nod to the 12 stopping points on the Green and Yellow Heritage tours which were launched at the unveiling. The next ones are on the Saturdays: 20 October, 17 November and 15 December. Booking is essential, via the Town Council number 01675 463326 (open 9-1, Monday to Friday but with an answer machine out of hours). Peggy’s late husband Frank was a child when the circus arrived in town. Charlotte won a design competition, which sculptor Peter Walker translated into the art work. The brief was to design a piece of art work to incorporate four themes: John Sumner, founder of Typhoo tea; Jack O’Watton, a famous local high-wayman; the circus elephant who died and is buried in Coleshill, and the three rivers (the Blythe, Cole and Tame). The sculpture is titled "Memories Flow By" which is a reference to the elephant, the rivers and the flow of time!

The 4 most popular CASPER design ideas are all pictured here. You can vote on Twitter @ColeshillTH on which 1 of 4 you like: - Costume mask, hat & cloak (kids can have pictures taken behind the costume); - Highwayman head with seats (walk in and seats inside); - Stagecoach wheel with clock (real time keeper in a prominent position); - Horse made from horse shoes (made from recycled horseshoes). Time is running out for pledges to make sure CASPER happens. As well as voting, encourage others to pledge. The audio visual is at https://youtu.be/6tZeOqueGdg Please ask others to pledge what they can. @WarwickshireTogether @WarksTN

Time is running out for people and businesses to pledge and Vote for CASPER to happen. Spread the word if you want to see it take place, to residents and businesses. Now that the Highwayman /Stagecoach theme has one one vote, there is now anther vote on Twitter @ColeshillTH on which of 4 design options is most popular: Costume mask, hat & cloak; Highwayman head with seats; Stagecoach wheel with clock; Horse made from horse shoes. This picture is the mask idea - Kids go behind the mask to have photos taken as a Highwayman or Highwaywoman! A/v: https://youtu.be/6tZeOqueGdg @WarwickshireTogether @WarksTN

The Twitter vote had the Highwayman/Stagecoach theme as the most popular with 54% of the vote. #coleshillTH #casper_coleshill The Working Group will look at the options for a highwayman/stagecoach piece. The other three themes (Elephant/Circus, Tea/John Sumner and Three Rivers) all got fairly even votes. It is now over to the Coleshill School’s art class students who are working with design ideas in a competition, sponsored by the Mayor, with a £50 cash prize. If you want to see CASPER progress, please ask family and friends to pledge £2 or more now. There is a Launch Night at 7pm on 30 January at the Town Hall with a Highwayman/Stagecoach theme. Some designs will be on display and a chance to get involved. Audio visual at: https://youtu.be/6tZeOqueGdg @WarwickshireTogether @WarksTN