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News 10 May 2010 The Portrait Bench is an art initiative from sustainable transport charity, Sustrans, which will soon be appearing all over the UK on newly created routes for pedestrians and cyclists as part of the Connect2 project. Each bench will be unique to each community with nearly 80 installed across the UK by 2013. We are pleased to announce that the three local heroes who will make up the Portrait Bench have been chosen. These are: • William (Bill) Bleasdale: A founder member of the Watch House Cruising Club (whose club house is on the Connect2 stretch of the Bridgewater Canal), and a tireless supporter of the canal over many years. In his early life he became a stable boy and jockey. Later, he was based in Egypt in the army where he became a captain of the veterinary core looking after the welfare of horses. He sadly passed away in 2008 and is still missed by the local community today. • Dr Charles White: Local Doctor and co-founder of the Manchester Royal Infirmary. Dr Charles White was born in 1728, the only son of Thomas White, a surgeon and midwife, and his wife Rosamond. Dr White started as an apprentice in his father’s practice before studying medicine in London and then completing his studies in Edinburgh. Dr Charles White then returned to his father’s practice as a surgeon and midwife. Their practice is located on the south west corner of Sale Priory and both Thomas White and Dr Charles White gave the popular name to Whites Bridge over the Bridgewater Canal. • Darren Campbell MBE: Olympic Gold medallist and a member of Sale Harriers since he was 18 years old. Born and raised on the Sale Racecourse Estate of Manchester, Darren Campbell is one of Britain’s most successful male sprinters, becoming the most successful British athlete at junior level winning four Gold and two Silver medals at International Championships during 1991 to 1992. Darren’s first Olympic success was in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney where he won Silver in the 200m. Four years later in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Darren won Gold as part of the 4x100m relay team. Darren was awarded an MBE in 2005 for his services to the sport and announced his retirement shortly after the 2006 European Championships. Darren remains an ambassador of the sport through a number of roles, including his involvement in Street Athletics and the Youth Sport Trust. The 2 mile stretch between Sale and Stretford is part of 12 miles of work in Trafford which will extend north of Stretford towards The Trafford Centre. This stretch is part of the Bridgewater Way, which is a unique 65 km scheme that will regenerate the canal towpath and creating a new route for cyclists. When the £8 million project is complete it will attract over half a million visitors a year. The Sale to Stretford section of the towpath is one of many schemes across the UK funded by sustainable transport charity, Sustrans, using a £50m award from the Big Lottery Fund which was won in a national TV vote in 2007. A Memorandum of Understanding between Sustrans and its partners at Trafford Council and Peel in December 2008 which confirmed the partners’ continued commitment to the project and pledged £250,000 from Sustrans’ lottery award to improve the towpath for cyclists and walkers and provide a series of links into the community. Cllr Ken Weston, Chairman of Trafford Bridgewater Way Steering Group, said: “Local people have picked three very worthy Trafford heroes to represent the Borough on our portrait bench and I look forward to seeing them brought to life through this project.” Louise Morrissey, Director of Land and Planning at Peel said, “We’d like to thank the people of Trafford for nominating their Trafford heroes. It is great that three people with different backgrounds have been chosen to be part of this wonderful work of art which everyone will be able to enjoy.” Peter Green of Sustrans said, ““It is great that the public of Trafford have come forward with such a diverse choice of local heroes. I think the three characters selected underline the very different ways we can all influence our surroundings and help make our area a better place. I hope that the bench will become a popular focal point on the route, and perhaps act as an inspiration to others, as well as a place for a welcome rest.”
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