Arnold Bennett in Clay

Ray Johnson is the 'body model' for the sculptors Michael Talbot and Carl Payne

A life-and-a-quarter size statue of the Potteries' greatest cultural figure - Arnold Bennett - has been created in Staffordshire red clay at the Burslem Art School.

Stoke-on-Trent is one of the few cities with no statue at all to a cultural figure. A new statue of Arnold Bennett - in Burslem - will bring us on a par with most cities in the land.

This iconic figure will signal a new regeneration for Burslem, while celebrating our cultural heritage and adding to the celebration of the Centenary of the Federation of the Six Towns. In 1910, Bennett was at the height of his writing about the Potteries - he had brought us fame worldwide - and 1910 also saw "Clayhanger" published, one of his most popular books.

The statue puts Arnold at the age he would have been in 1910 - 43 - rather than the "grand old man" he became through later years.

From the clay model, the mould will be made - and this effectively sees the end of the function of the clay figure and it will be destroyed.

From this mould - initially - will be made a 'bronze' resin full-size figure, which will become an exhibit at Ceramica in Burslem, and which will be light enough to transport to any venue in the City. It will look like a finished bronze statue, and will help the final fund-raising initiative - managed by the Arnold Bennett Society - it will be funded by private donations.

The head of the statue was created a decade ago, taken to Paris in wet clay form, and approved by Bennett's daughter Virginia Eldin as a true likeness of her father. A cast was made at that time.

The body is Ray Johnson's (the Vice President of the Arnold Bennett Society), and he has been doing a sitting each week from Christmas 2009 to end March 2010 so that the sculptors - MICHAEL TALBOT (Baskeyfield VC, Reginald Mitchell etc) and CARL PAYNE (Stanley Matthews, Britannia Stadium etc) could create the body, and the fine details of clothing etc.

On Thursday 18th March 2010, the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent and a party of other mayors and officials visited the statue

Mayoral Party

Lord Mayor & Lady Mayoress (Councillor Jean Bowers and Miss Sabrina Bowers)

Deputy Lord Mayor & Deputy Lady Mayoress ( Councillor Denver Tolley and Mrs Lynne Tolley)

Deputy Mayor (David Leese) & Deputy Mayoress East Staffordshire

Mayor (Marion Reddish) & Mayoress of Newcastle Under Lyme

High Sheriff of Staffordshire - Richard Byrd Levett Haszard

Chairman (Mrs Christine Raven) & Consort South Staffordshire District Council

Vice Chairman & Consort Staffordshire Moorlands DC (Councillor Peter Warrillow & Mrs Lorene Warrillow)

Chairman (Joseph Powell) & Consort Lichfield DC

Mayor (Jean Taberner) & Consort Stafford Borough Council

Deputy Lieutenant (Mrs Anne Williams)