Categories: News
      Date: Apr 10, 2012
     Title: Apprentices sculpture swan for Queen’s Thames pageant

Apprentices at PM Training have been commissioned by the UK’s leading regeneration specialist St. Modwen to sculpture a swan to travel on board Staffordshire’s entry in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant along the Thames in June.



Apprentices woring on the swan The apprentices are creating the two foot tall steel sculpture to travel on “President”, the world’s only surviving steam powered canal narrow boat, which will be representing Staffordshire as one of 1,000 boats at the pageant on the Thames on June 3. President will kick off its canal journey down to London on Friday 20 April, starting at Etruria.

St. Modwen is a principal sponsor of President alongside Michelin, Wedgwood and JCB and each of the four companies have been invited to put something significant on President.
St. Modwen regional director Mike Herbert explained: “The sculpture represents the swan in St. Modwen’s logo. With Staffordshire’s heritage rooted in industry, we thought it would be a good idea to ask apprentices at PM Training to make the swan for us.  They are doing a great job and once the pageant is over we shall put the swan on display in a suitable location in the county.”

Will Nixon, Chief Executive of PM Training, said: “I’m proud that our apprentices have been asked to create a piece of work that will be part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. It will be wonderful to see the narrow boat in its full splendour, representing Staffordshire, knowing that the work has helped keep young people in training.”

President is one of the world’s last operational steam-driven canal barge. Together with her butty boat Kildare, the boats are currently based at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley. The butty boat originally carried the cargo, because President had to carry coal for the boiler.
St. Modwen JCB, Michelin and Wedgwood have been chosen as the principal sponsors of the Staffordshire entry to join the royal pageant as the four companies represent key aspects of Staffordshire industry and business.

Staffordshire County Councillor Pat Corfield, Cabinet Member for Culture, Communities and Customers, said:  "It is a thrill and an honour for Staffordshire to be able to play such a significant part in the national Diamond Jubilee celebrations. It will be a central event, broadcast live across the world and I am delighted that Staffordshire will be so well represented by such fine county heritage at such a prestigious event.  The treasures that will be making their way down to London will show the world what Staffordshire has to offer."