The owner of Keswick’s miracle dog Max believes his canine wonder can come to the rescue of Keswick’s cash-strapped parks.
Kerry Irving publicly thanked the trustees of Hope Park for agreeing to have a life-size bronze statue of Max installed there early next year.
The statue, to be made by Cumbrian sculptor Kirsty Armstrong, will have a bench made of Honister slate alongside it on which fans of Max can sit and have their photos taken.
There will also be a collection box for people to donate coins or notes — and money raised will go towards the upkeep of Hope Park and Fitz Park, which is proving increasingly difficult for its trustees to finance.
“It is quite a money-earner for the park,” forecast Kerry, of Keswick, as he joined parks trustees for their latest virtual meeting when the statue plan was unanimously approved.
“We are already getting messages from people wanting to come and see the new statue,” he said. “At the moment, we have around 150,000 Facebook followers all around the world. Our Facebook reach is around two million every month.”
Kerry, who runs a locksmith business, has already raised around £250,000 for a variety of local and national charities, including the PDSA (People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals), from his charity walks with Max and fellow pet spaniels Paddy and Harry.
A statue is the latest accolade for Max, who has his own website and best-selling book called Max the Miracle Dog, which tells how he saved Kerry’s life after depression.
The 13-year-old springer spaniel’s profile was further boosted when he met the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their visit to Keswick last year.
Kerry told the park’s trustees: “It is not just about a statue. It is a great honour for us, so thank you for that. Sharing the money between the parks is a fantastic idea.”
He added that he was happy to work with parks trust chairman Adam Paxon to raise funds for specific projects, such as the BMX bike track in Fitz Park.
It took an online appeal just two hours to reach the £15,000 target to pay for the statue. The total is now nearly £30,000.
The exact location is yet to be confirmed by parks trustees as talks continue between Kerry and parks manager Christine Fawcett over a few possibilities.
“It seems to be a win-win situation, with a nice sculpture and nil cost to the parks trust and hopefully the benefit of getting some donations,” said councillor Tony Lywood.
Councillor Alexandra Boardman agreed, calling the statue “a great idea,” while deputy mayor David Burn added: “£27,000 raised shows a high degree of public support for this — and we (Keswick) are the dog friendliest town in the UK.
“It is a terrific thing and quite appropriate to give the owner and dog this level of appreciation.”
Brampton-based Kirsty, whose statue will not be in place until February at the earliest, was meeting Max for the first time this week. She said: “I am extremely honoured and excited to have been chosen to sculpt Max.”
