A COMMUNITY group in Redditch has successfully rebuilt a living willow sculpture created as a memorial to lost loved ones after it was ‘horrifically vandalised’.
The sculpture in Matchborough consisted of a living Willow dome which was designed, woven, planted and adorned by people in the town.
The project was aimed at uniting the Matchborough community through creativity and reflection on the themes of young loss and grief.
Reimagine Redditch and Bound Together community interest company (CIC) commissioned multidisciplinary artist Ildiko Nagy to lead the project, working closely with residents in Matchborough and across the borough.
In August, the sculpture was vandalised by youths but the community vowed to come together and rebuild.
Since then there have been more incidents of vandalism with the willow frame being ripped apart, but with the cash raised from the community, a new sturdy frame has been installed.
Alison Osborne from Bound Together CIC said at the time of the attack she was appalled to see the damage.
“The willow has done something I haven’t seen anything else do in our community.
“It unites all generations in the understanding of loss and grief.
“As a community we must do our bit to stop this behaviour.”
The group is holding a workshop tomorrow (Saturday, December 13) with the original artisit Ildiko Nagy to weave more willow into the original structure to replace what was removed and broken.
Alison added: “The community are invited to come along and fix what was broken, united in our resilient efforts to fix what was broken by others.
“Unfortunately apart from one parent and child, the other perpetrators are yet to come forward and offer their apologies despite being visited by the police.”
Alison said, despite all of the damage, she wanted to thank the community for the way they have come together.
