A new sculpture celebrating mentorship and youth empowerment has been unveiled in Brightlingsea as part of the Youth Voice Project.
The sculpture marks the tenth anniversary of local charity Lads Need Dads, which has supported boys growing up without a father figure since 2015.
The artwork, titled ‘The Strength to Stand Beside’, was developed by local artist Luke Edgar in collaboration with his father John Edgar following a workshop he delivered for the charity.
It reflects values of mentorship, resilience, and youth empowerment.
The sculpture, which has been installed in Millennium Gardens, Promenade Way, by Brightlingsea Town Council with support from Tendring District Council (TDC) and the Arts Council England as part of the Youth Voice Project, which gives voice to young people and their journeys.
Gary Scott, TDC’s Cabinet Member for Arts, Culture and Heritage, said: “This sculpture is a powerful and moving tribute to the importance of mentoring and the strength that comes from walking alongside young people.
“It’s a celebration of ten years of life-changing work by Lads Need Dads, and a reminder of the positive impact that creative projects like Youth Voice can have in our communities.
“We’re committed to working with our partners to improve quality of life for our residents as well as raising aspirations and opportunities for our young people.”
Founded in 2015 and based in Tendring, Lads Need Dads is an award-winning not-for-profit Community Interest Company, set up to prevent potential problems and address existing ones where boys are missing a father-figure in their lives.
Lads Need Dads is currently one of the only projects in the UK that works proactively to address the impact of the absent father on boys aged 10 to 18, and whose approach is both early intervention and long-term.
Sonia Shaljean, founder and managing director, said: “This sculpture beautifully captures what Lads Need Dads stands for - the strength found in standing beside young people as they grow in confidence and resilience.
“To see this artwork unveiled in our tenth anniversary year is deeply moving.
“It represents a decade of boys finding their voices, and the power of mentorship to change lives and shape futures.”
The Youth Voice Project is a collaboration between Tendring Cultural Education Partnership, Tendring District Council and Arts Council England.
