Memorial to Mansfield’s mining heritage could be built in Berry Hill Park

The Nottinghamshire Mining Museum has asked Mansfield Council for support in bringing the memorial forwards.

The museum plans to create a sculpture close to the existing pit wheel inside the park and install a plaque next to it.

It says this plaque would include reference to the ‘loss of life at all the pits in Nottinghamshire’ and celebrate the ‘significant role’ of mining in the life and history of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, and Berry Hill Park itself.

The park was a facility owned by mining charity CISWO and provided to miners and their families decades ago.

But the charity revealed in 2018 it could no longer afford the costs of its upkeep, before the council stepped in to become corporate trustees.

Now the museum wants to use the park’s heritage to commemorate the links with mining through the memorial.

It says as much as £125,000 would be needed, with campaigns planned to raise the money.

The museum is asking the council to offer support and provide a representative to work on the scheme.

The museum said: “We suggest a sculpture close to the wheel and a plaque.

“The wording of which would have to be agreed, but to include references to the loss of life at pits in Nottinghamshire, together with reference to the role of mining in the life and history of the town, county and park.

“We suggest a public consultation and both a GoFundMe appeal for £100,000, together with applications to charities to raise another £25,000.

“We would suggest 12 months of fundraising and consultation/planning, plus 12 months for the erection of the memorial.”

The authority has suggested it will support the scheme in principle , but does not plan to provide additional resources, while any council representative ‘will not be able to offer council resources’.

In a report, Sarah Troman, council head of neighbourhood services, said: “Giving support in principle to the proposal enables the museum to carry out a public consultation to establish the level of support.

“This would also enable the [museum] to commence fundraising, to coincide with the improvement work planned for the park.”

Members of the authority’s governance and standards committee will decide whether to support the plans at their next meeting.