Wojtek - Soldier Bear

This is the Scottish sculptor Alan Beattie Herriot. In front of him is his model of the statue which the Wojtek Memorial Trust hope to erect in Edinburgh's Princes St Gardens to commemorate Wojtek the soldier bear and through him the historic and continuing relationship between Scotland & Poland.

The story is well told by my friend Aileen Orr in her 2010 book on Wojtek which has been the impetus for the Trust and it's plans and which is now published in a Polish edition as well as a second Scottish one.

At the Trust's event in Edinburgh Castle tonight she spoke movingly of her personal connection with the fascinating and geographically far reaching story of Wojtek and then her fellow trustee Krystyna Szumelukowa gave a good outline of how the statue will sit in the Gardens and what the Trust might do therafter.

Edinburgh Council will decide on the planning issues next week and if approved the Trust hope the statue will be in place by next May .