Granitestone and plaque unveiled in memory of Isla Tansey
DOZENS of people turned out to Argent’s Mead to see the unveiling of a permanent memorial dedicated to Hinckley’s special little girl Isla Tansey.
A brightly coloured granite plaque, which was beautifully crafted by local stone mason Kurt Russell, has been engraved into the 6.2 tonne boulder which features a unicorn, fairy and a rainbow.
Isla’s mum Katherine, dad Simon and brother Harrison were joined by family, friends and well-wishers in the Mead, which since Isla’s death has become a focal point for the commu- nity to pay their respects to the special girl.
Simon Tansey delivered a speech and expressed his gratitude to those who had helped organise the memorial, before the plaque was uncovered prompting an applause from the crowd.
Katherine and Simon said: “It looks absolutely beautiful. It just makes for a really nice focal point and as a family who love to spend time here in the park, this is a lasting legacy for Isla. “We hope that other people will come and spend some time here, reflecting on their own experiences, just taking a moment to think about what’s going on.” Katherine added: “Simon wrote the words on the plaque and so this is extra special for us, Isla would have loved it.” Leader of the council Councillor Mike Hall said: “This is a fitting memorial to Isla and it will serve as a lasting reminder of how she made a difference to our community. It also serves to remind us of the need for continued research to find a cure for DIPG and I have immense admiration for Katherine, Simon, and Harrison and the passion which they continue to have in working to fight the disease which took Isla from them.
“I shall always remember the scenes in Argents Mead, the tributes around the bandstand and the colourful celebration of Isla’s life, but every time I walk past this stone I shall remember the smile of Isla ‘Smiler’ Tansey.”
Isla died of a spinal tumour aged 7 and in her final months started paint- ing 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 has reached more than 77,000 members, with stones being placed across the borough and around the world, including in South America and even Antarctica.
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council have given thanks to Kurt Russell for his work and also to Aggregates at Bardon Hill for donating the magnificent stone.
Anyone who wishes to donate to Isla’s fund can do so at https://www. justgiving.com/fundraising/islastones.