November 2021 Newsletter

Dear Supporter

Since our last newsletter in June, we have made exciting progress, both in our financial goals and in practically implementing the project.

Fundraising

We have now raised our £150,000 initial target to pay for the statue, Key Stage 3 lessons and book, and are now moving on to fundraise for an interpretation board to accompany the statue, a video on the project and its aims, to be accessed via QR code, and the unveiling.  We also wish to build up a contingency against possible cost increases when budgeted costs for the plinth and groundworks, for example, are put out to tender. 

Statue

Figure 1  Licoricia being assembled at the foundry after casting into bronze.

The life-sized statue has now been cast into bronze and is being assembled.  The assembly does not so far include Asher apart from his feet.

We expect to unveil the statue in spring 2022 and will be in touch with details.

Illustration for the book

Figure 2 Licoricia in the Great Hall by Lucille Dwek

Lucille Dwek has painted an illustration for the book, which we hope eventually to display in Winchester, of Licoricia with Henry III in the Winchester’s Great Hall.   There is nothing like a picture to bring the past to life, and Lucille has created a very atmospheric rendition of the Great Hall as it might have looked in the thirteenth century.

Book

Rebecca Abrams has completed her manuscript of 40,000 words.  We are very pleased with the book which is engaging, informative and accessible.  We are currently investigating publishing opportunities.

Exhibition

Plans are advanced for a pop-up exhibition to accompany the unveiling at the Discovery Centre with the support of Hampshire Cultural Trust.  The exhibition will take the form of four or five panels with interesting information and background, and a link to our film.

Lessons

Hampshire County Council (HCC) has finished the lessons having put an enormous amount of effort into them.  There are now four detailed lessons (20 to 30 pages each) and a glossary.  They will shortly be making them available to Hampshire schools for free and to schools elsewhere in the country for £50.  These lessons are ground-breaking and provide a new approach to the period, as well as teaching our important lessons for today. 

We were really pleased to be contacted by the Bitterne School in Southampton, which has created its own lessons on Licoricia, and to learn that the Hasmonean School in London has visited Winchester to learn about her.  The Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ) is helping us find an educator who will be able to put together further lessons for us, to be available free from our website.  William will address the CCJ AGM in late November.

Collaborations

We are very excited that Winchester Cathedral will hold a series of talks about Licoricia after the unveiling, some online and some at the Cathedral or other Winchester venues. 

Thank you

We continue to receive so much goodwill around the project and are spurred on with your enthusiasm.  Thank you for your continued support.  If you or your friends and contacts are able to help move us forward, do donate either directly or through Just Giving  (https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Licoricia) which can be accessed via our website http://www.Licoricia.org.

We look forward to keeping in touch.

With best wishes from

The Licoricia of Winchester Team