James Herriot Statue and Legacy Fund Launched

James Herriot Statue unveiled and £11,000 for Legacy Fund raised.

The World of James Herriot unveiled the James Herriot Statue on Saturday, 4th October 2014. Jim Wight and Rosie Page, son and daughter of the world famous author unveiled the statue in the James Herriot Hall, followed by a black tie dinner in the Thomas Lord Suite at Thirsk Racecourse. Christopher Timothy who played James Herriot in the TV series, members of Alf Wight’s family, and Jim Herriot, former Birmingham City goalkeeper, whose name, in 1969, Alf Wight chose as his pseudonym attended together with Sean Hedges-Quinn, the sculptor of the Statue and Gary Verity, CEO of Welcome to Yorkshire.

The James Herriot Statue and Legacy Fund has been developed as a tribute to Alf Wight, author of the books about the life of a country vet, which inspired two films and the long running and immensely popular TV series All Creatures Great and Small.

The James Herriot Statue will be installed in the gardens of the World of James Herriot on Saturday 28th March 2015.

Ian Ashton Managing Director of the World of James Herriot said:

“The aim is to provide bursaries for people wishing to embark on a career concerning the welfare of animals, and for whom the James Herriot stories may well have been an inspiration. The £11,000 raised at the launch dinner is a fantastic boost in support of the Legacy Fund and this vision. The fund has now reached over £40,000, which will go towards the overall aim of £60,000 for completion of the statue and allow the first bursaries to be allocated.”

The Legacy Fund began with a very generous bequest made to the Friends of the World of James Herriot by the late Mr Thomas Frank Blinks who lived in Robertsbridge, East Sussex, and was a life member of the Friends of the World James Herriot. Fundraising will now be a continuous part of the World of James Herriot’s activities to ensure that the vets and veterinary nurses of the future can apply for support from the Legacy Fund.

Jim Wight and Rosie Page, son and daughter of Alf Wight, speaking about the Legacy said: “This is a unique opportunity to develop a legacy to support young people who wish to become veterinary surgeons, or to pursue a career dedicated to animal welfare. Our father would be proud to be associated with this initiative and we consider the statue to be a very fitting tribute.”

Images and a video of the Jim Wight’s speech at the event can be found online at: www.worldofjamesherriot.com and http://youtu.be/WccXxkiwsb4

Chefs from Yorebridge House, Bainbridge in the Yorkshire Dales provided a fine dining meal and the fund-raising auction was held after the meal by John Tennant of Tennant Auctioneers, Leyburn.

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*Donations to the James Herriot Statue Legacy Fund can be made online at: http://worldofjamesherriot.org/herriot-news.html

For further information please contact:

Ian Ashton, The World of James Herriot, 3 Kirkgate, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 1PL Tel: 01845 524234 E-mail: mail@worldofjamesherriot.com

Press Contact: John Gallery, Tel: 07967 032623 E-mail: johngallery@greatpotential.co.uk

Notes to Editors: The World of James Herriot is a unique tribute to Alf Wight, vet and author of the James Herriot stories. Based in his original surgery at 23 Kirkgate, Thirsk, North Yorkshire – the ‘Skeldale House’ of the Herriot books – it takes visitors on a journey back to the 1940s.

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