Pride of place

Councillor Howard Sykes (front) is pleased to see the statue in place. With him are members of St James’s Church and Shaw and Crompton Parish council

SHAW’s Education Statue has been restored - and given a prominent new position.

The bronze woman and child have been moved from the grounds of St James’s Church to Shaw and Crompton Memorial Gardens, which are also being improved.

The £78,000 cost of the project has been funded by the Royton, Shaw and Crompton District Partnership (£25,000) St James’s Church (£1,000) and other funds won by Oldham Council.

The statue was originally bought by local businessman and councillor James Cockcroft, who presented it to the people of Shaw in 1919 in the entrance hall of the former Carnegie Library.

The statue was moved to the church garden - temporarily - in 1976, and had remained there.