GEORGE Mottershead’s grandchildren were guests of honour at an event marking the launch of Sale’s very first Art Zoo.
After months of anticipation, Sale Art Zoo finally kicks off this weekend and a special private preview of the exhibition was held at Sale Waterside last night (Thursday July 21).
Inspired by Chester Zoo founder George Mottershead, Sale Art Zoo is a seven week exhibition of life-size animal sculptures on the town's streets.
The last of the sculptures are being put in place
Around 60 people turned out to last night’s event, including descendants of Sale-born Mottershead.
Granddaughter Linda Hendry came from York with husband Simon and two children Adam and Emma, grandson George Williams came up from Brixton and granddaughter Jo Williams flew over from Portugal.
Jo thanked local historian George Coswell, who helped compile information for the exhibition, and Two by Two founders Anna Chopping and Zoe Taylor, who spearheaded the project.
“It’s amazing and we are really grateful to them for putting this together,” said Jo.
“George Coswell came to my mum’s house and spent two days photographing and researching. I learnt a lot about my grandfather.
“My mum had filing cabinets full of documents, photographs, postcards, and letters.”
Jo added that her mum, George’s daughter June William, who sadly passed away last year, would have been proud of the exhibition.
“The whole family is remembered and that’s really great,” she said.
Mum-of-three Sally Stanley-Jones, from Didsbury, was one of the guests at the preview.
Sally Stanley-Jones
“It’s wonderful to see it in action, everybody is talking about it and it looks fantastic,” she said.
Organiser Zoe Taylor said response from the public has been ‘amazing’.
“You see the children flock towards the animals with excitement and delight,” she said.
“It’s lovely to have George Mottershead’s family here too. His family worked so hard at the zoo and it all started here in Sale – I think that is something we should be proud of.”
Many town-centre visitors will have spotted the brightly-coloured sculptures dotted around the streets already.
The last pieces are being put in place and the official launch of the exhibition, a family fun day, will be held at Sale Waterside tomorrow Saturday July 23, from 11am-3pm.
See if you can spot these cheeky monkeys hanging about Sale
A children’s entertainer will be running a series of workshops, there will be face-painting, a balloon artist, and Little Belters will be performing. Goodie bags are also up for grabs.
For the duration of the exhibition (which wraps up on September 11), Sale Library will be hosting an interactive exhibition on George Mottershead. Historian George Coswell will also be holding a talk on the zoo founder on Saturday July 30 at 2pm at the Claremont Music Centre in Sale.
Sale Arts Zoo ‘trail’ maps can be picked up from Tesco, Sale Library, The Square Shopping Centre, Bean and Brush, Traders Outlet, Waterside Arts Centre, The Life Centre and Serendipitea.
For more information, visit saleartzoo.co.uk.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here