Clevedon based specialist engraving company, Brunel Engraving, has completed over 300 engravings on the plinth of John Atyeo’s statue at Bristol City’s Ashton Gate Stadium.
The larger than life size bronze statue celebrates the most prolific striker in Bristol City’s history and was commissioned by Bristol City Supporters’ Club & Trust.
As part of a scheme to raise funds for the statue, donors had the opportunity to buy a name plaque on the plinth.
Brunel Engraving was approached by the Club & Trust to advise on how best to display the inscriptions around the base of the statue, the appropriate material to use and the design and size of the inscriptions which the company would engrave for maximum longevity.
Originally there were 150 names to be engraved but, due to the popularity of the fundraising scheme, over double that number were included on the finished structure.
“We approached Brunel Engraving to undertake the engraving work as we were particularly impressed by the inscriptions the company had completed at the base of the Isis sculpture in London’s Hyde Park”, explained John Darch, a member of the board of the Bristol City Supporters Club & Trust.
“Our original idea was to feature several individual engraved plates but Brunel’s suggestion to feature continuous strips around the plinth enabled us to include twice as many names as we had originally intended. We also liked the stainless steel material which the company recommended and were very pleased with the finished quality of the inscriptions.”
“We were delighted to have been involved in this high profile commemorative work for Bristol City Supporters’ Club & Trust”, said Martyn Wright, founder and managing director of Brunel Engraving.
“The continuous deeply engraved scripts flow well around the plinth of the statue and the depth of each engraving and quality of the material used will preserve the integrity and endurance of this fine commemorative statue”.
Brunel Engraving was established in Clevedon, North Somerset, over 28 years ago. From its origins in small offices next door to the Curzon cinema, it has developed into one of the largest and most successful engraving businesses in the UK, handling national and international clients and employing 27 local people. The company’s work is in evidence throughout the whole of the country, from the inscriptions at the base of the Isis sculpture in London’s Hyde Park to every individual commemorative plaque on Clevedon’s historic pier and, more recently, the intricate engravings, inscriptions and designs featured at the major new heritage site, Shakespeare’s New Place in Stratford-upon-Avon.