Moor Otters trail receives a Royal boost
The Moor Otters project has received a specially commissioned otter sculpture from The Duchy of Cornwall. The unique sculpture has been commissioned to support the project from renowned sculptor Marcus Cornish, to a design approved by HRH The Prince of Wales.
Marcus Cornish is an award winning, internationally recognised sculptor, whose work can be seen all over the world, including in The Prince of Wales’s gardens at Highgrove.
Marcus Cornish’s work can be seen in the collections of the Museum of London, Girton College Cambridge, the Mathematical Institute and St. Hugh’s College, Oxford, amongst others. In 2003 Cornish won the prestigious commission to sculpt the important Victoria Cross and George Cross memorial at Whitehall and his Paddington Bear sculpture is a favourite with travellers at Paddington Station.
Cornish says of his own work: “I have always strived to create works focused on vitality, emotional force and a celebration of the beauty of life”.
The Duchy of Cornwall is the largest landowner on Dartmoor, owning about one third of the National Park. The Duchy works in partnership with the National Park Authority on a number of projects supporting farming and the environment.
Tom Stratton, Deputy Land Steward from the Duchy, said: “We are delighted to be able to support the Moor Otters initiative to help raise funding for valuable conservation work on Dartmoor. Being able to do this with a sculpture of a species that has benefited from the good work taking place on Dartmoor is particularly pleasing and we are grateful for the assistance of Marcus Cornish”.
The Moor Otters trail will end on 15th September with an auction on the 30th to raise funds for access and conservation projects and the Junior Rangers. This unique otter will be auctioned at the live auction at Bearnes Hampton and Littlewood along with 30 of the ‘golden otters’ from the trail.
Rachel Littlewood from Bearnes, Hampton and Littlewood, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for a collector to get a unique Royal commission from an internationally renowned sculptor; we are expecting a huge amount of interest for this piece”.
The otter sculpture can be viewed as part of the trail at Princetown Visitor Centre from Saturday 29 July, for the duration of the project and will be officially unveiled on at 12 noon at the Visitor Centre summer fair.
Bill Hitchins, Chair of Dartmoor National Park Authority said: “We are extremely grateful for the support of His Royal Highness and the Duchy of Cornwall for the Moor Otters project; this donation of a one-off otter will provide a huge boost to the trail and hopefully create a real buzz at the auction”
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