Witney Steelstock are proud to have supported ‘Standing With Giants’, a local not for profit organisation who create large scale installations for people to experience and reflect upon, whilst fundraising for worthy causes.

The innovator behind the project, Dan Barton, is a customer of the Oxfordshire based stockholder and invited them to be involved. Manager Glenn Smith was delighted to have the opportunity and supplied a quantity of black mild steel rounds and flat to make the frames which strengthen the silhouettes and figures and enable them to be fixed into the ground.

Last year Witney supplied steel for 200 soldier silhouettes displayed at Blenheim Palace in November 2020, a moving tribute to those who gave their lives fighting for their country. Earlier this year, a further quantity of steel was delivered to make 300 frames on to which life-size figures in 60 different hand painted designs on the front of upcycled aluminium composite board were riveted. The backs of the figures are painted black to symbolise remembrance with a face mask to represent the harsh realities of Covid-19. When viewed from the back visitors saw a sea of silhouettes with face masks on which messages of thanks were written and when viewed from the front, a sea of colourful frontline workers.

Dan and colleagues on the SWG project appreciated the support from Witney Steelstock and recorded them a message of thanks.

Both installations have created a phenomenal amount of public interest and charitable donations along the way for The British Legion Poppy Appeal and ‘NHS Charities Together’. Dan now has plans to take the figures on tour around the country to boost donations and is raising funds to make this happen. If you’d like to support this initiative to just click on the following link – all donations will be hugely appreciated!

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/standingwithgiantsnhstributeoxford

The full story and more amazing pictures of this inspirational project can be found at https://www.standingwithgiants.co.uk/

NOVEMBER 2021 UPDATE - after the original installation at Blenheim Palace, 100 of the soldiers are currently part of a striking WW1 memorial at Hampton Court Palace along with 75 poppy wreaths whilst other silhouettes are on display at Waddesdon Manor near Aylesbury and as far afield as The Falklands.

Photo credit- Jules & Bean