A COMMUNITY effort has returned a popular fox sculpture back to its Worcester stomping ground.
The wooden fox seat sculpture, which was vandalised earlier this year, has been restored and returned to Laugherne Brook Local Nature Reserve, thanks to Men’s Shed Worcester.
The fox seat was originally installed by Worcester City Council over 15 years ago and the Friends of Laugherne Brook group adopted the sculpture and made it part of their logo. The word ‘Laugherne’ comes from an old Welsh word for fox.
However, the group were left disappointed earlier this year when the fox sculpture was damaged and pulled out of the ground.
That was until the Men’s Shed Worcester community group agreed to repair the sculpture.
The Friends of Laugherne Brook successfully applied for a grant from the City Council for the required materials.
With the cash, the Friends group bought some oak wood off-cuts, and the Men’s Shed Worcester team carefully rebuilt the sculpture.
Volunteers from both community groups assisted with the installation of the newly repaired fox, ensuring its return to the reserve in its original location.
Coun Karen Lewing, vice chair of the City Council’s environment committee, said: “Laugherne Brook is an important green space for those living in the surrounding area.
“It was disappointing to see that the popular fox sculpture was vandalised earlier this year.
“However, this is a great example of community groups working together and with the City Council on a project for their local area.”
Margaret Layland, a member of the Friends of Laugherne Brook Local Nature Reserve, continued: “Our fox seat was a very well-known feature of Laugherne Brook Local Nature Reserve, so we were all saddened when it was vandalised and had to be removed. However, it was a fantastic community effort that saw the repaired fox being re-installed.”
Men’s Shed Worcester meet in the Crypt at the back of St Clement’s Church on Tuesdays and Thursdays,
Representative Mr Buckley added: “We hope that the fox statue will grace the nature reserve for many years to come.
“We very much enjoyed working together to renovate the fox and look forward to working with the City Council on other projects.”
