First glimpse of Jennie Lee statue earmarked for outside Milton Keynes Central station
An early version of the council-commissisoned statue in honour of our OU founder has been unveiled outside MK Central station.
Milton Keynes City Council demonstrated the intitial fibreglass version of Jennie Lee, who died in November 1988 as Baroness Lee of Asheridge.
The final statue will be cast in bronze and will stand proundly in Station square later this year.
The artist is Andy Edwards, the man who created the famous Beatles sculpture in Liverpool.
MK’s statue honours Jennie Lee’s remarkable role in founding The Open University and her lifelong commitment to arts, education and public service. Established in 1969 in Walton Hall,, the OU is now a four-nation university in the UK and has taught more than 2.3 million students worldwide.
"One ambition changed the world, giving anyone, anywhere the power to learn,” said a council spokesperson.
Jennie Lee was born in Fife, Scotland, in 1904 and elected as MP for North Lanark in 1929. She was one of the first women to be elected to the House of Commons and was also the youngest member of the House at that time, aged just 24.
After a lifetime of being involved in politics and campaigning, Jennie was made Minister for the Arts in 1964. Her seminal White Paper for the Arts was produced in 1965 insisting that the arts should be central to everyday life and publicly supported for the benefit of all, cementing the establishment of a national cultural policy through The Arts Council.
In February 1966, she produced the landmark White Paper on the University of the Air, laying the groundwork and effectively founding The Open University. She fought for a university that was both open to everyone and which operated to the highest standards. Jennie’s actions have benefitted millions of people globally ever since. She died in November 1988 as Baroness Lee of Asheridge.
The fibreglass version of her statue will remain on display at the Open University campus, where The Jennie Lee Archive collection is based, and the Archive team will work closely with Andy on the commission’s development.
The project costs £80,000 and is being funded through contributions from housing and infrastructure developers.
Leader of Milton Keynes City Council, Cllr Pete Marland, said: “It’s a real privilege to share this first look at the Jennie Lee statue. Jennie was a remarkable woman whose work changed education in this country forever, yet she has never had the recognition she truly deserves. Too often her achievements have been overlooked. Having a major artwork in Milton Keynes that celebrates her role in creating The Open University feels exactly right. I’m looking forward to seeing the final sculpture capture both her strength and her spirit.”
Vice-Chancellor of The Open University, Professor Dave Phoenix, said: “Jennie’s pioneering spirit and determination was the driving force behind the establishment of The Open University, and it is hugely fitting that she will be commemorated in this way in this, in this the 60th anniversary year of her ground-breaking White Paper. “This statue will give visibility to Jennie’s achievements and her association with the OU and its home here in Milton Keynes. “The statue will be a great addition to how our institution continues to mark the 60th anniversary of Jennie’s legacy. We look forward to seeing the final artwork.”