Isla’s stone is in place
A LARGE boulder has been placed in Argents Mead in memory of a special little girl and her work to raise awareness of childhood cancer.
The impressive rock was chosen by the family of Isla Tansey and it will be engraved with a message about the #islastones campaign that she championed.
Mum Katherine went to Bardon Hill quarry to choose the boulder, which was donated by Aggregate Industries.
She said: “It’s arrived and it’s a big, bold and beautiful islastone.
“Thanks to John aka Mr Hinckley and the borough council for allowing us to place this stone in Argents Mead and to Bardon Aggregates for donating the stones. “Isla would have loved it.” The 6.2 tonne stone is made of granite and quartz and is four feet tall, five feet wide and five feet deep.
Isla died of a spinal tumour aged 7 and in her final months started painting stones with her favourite designs, asking others to do the same and to hide them in the open for others to find, using the #islastones hashtag.
The campaign’s Facebook group reached more than 77,000 members, with stones placed across the borough and around the world, including in South America and even Antarctica.
One of the first to see the newly installed rock said on the #islastones page: “Just been to see Isla’s rock. It’s amazing, what a wonderful legacy to our brave lil girl.”
The bandstand in Argents Mead was turned into a memorial after Isla’s death, with friends and wellwishers placing their stones on the ground and attaching unicorn and princess balloons to the railings.
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council said that there will be an event to officially unveil the rock.
Stone mason Kurt Russell will provide the engraving.
Visit the #islastones Facebook page to see the latest pictures of stones that people have found.