Mini Knight rides in to thrill Lincoln shoppers

A mini knight statue decorated by children at a village primary school has been put on display to the public.

Pupils at Dunholme St Chad’s Church of England Primary School teamed up with local artist Mel Langton to create an eye-catching design for the statue, which has gone on display at the Waterside Shopping Centre in Lincoln.

The design features a series of images contained within leaves, which have been included to represent the Charter of the Forest, which was signed in 1217 following the Battle of Lincoln.

The statue, named Sir Armour, also celebrates the role of lady constable Nicola De La Hay in defending Lincoln Castle from French and rebel English forces during the battle.

The children from Dunholme St Chad’s Church of England Primary School were asked to come up with a design for one of the leaves which reflected something which inspired them, their ambition, talent or what they enjoy doing. The youngsters’ designs included a tennis racket, musical notes and dinosaurs.

The school’s mini knight, which has been sponsored by Lincolnshire housebuilder Chestnut Homes and Lincoln-based Core Architects, is one of 44 mini knights which will be on display at the shopping centre throughout the summer.

The statues have been decorated by local schools for the EBP Education Trail, a programme being held to tie in with the Lincoln Knights’ Trail, which celebrates the 800^th anniversary of the Battle of Lincoln.

Patricia Ruff, Headteacher at Dunholme St Chad’s Church of England Primary School, said: “This project has provided the opportunity for the children to share their aspirations, ambitions and talents. We want every child to celebrate what they can do and be confident and ambitious.

“We have been so lucky to have the support of Chestnut Homes and Core Architects. Without them we would not have realised our dream - to work as a school on the Lincoln Knights' Trail Project.”

David Newton, Managing Director of Chestnut Homes, said: “We’re very proud to be involved in EBP Education Trail, which has captured the imagination of local schoolchildren.

“It looks like the children have had a great time engaging with the trail, and it’s very exciting to see the colourful Dunholme St Chad’s statue standing proudly in the Waterside Shopping Centre. 

“We hope that people will appreciate the hard work both Mel and the children have put in to their statue.”

Chestnut Homes is one of the companies sponsoring a full-size knight on the Lincoln Knights’ Trail, a Wild in Art event which has been organised by Lincoln Business Improvement Group (BIG). 

For more information about the trail, visit www.knightstrail.com