Organisers hoping Mike's creation will bring boatloads of interest
HE'S the Doncaster sculptor who is following in the footsteps of Noah!
Mike Bunn hit the headlines as the creator of the famous Donnysaurus Wrecks sculpture which once ruled the roost at the White Rose Way roundabout, near the Yorkshire Outlet.
Now he is set to create the centrepiece of a pair of climate change rallies due to be held in London and Doncaster.
He has been asked to build an ark which is expected to be carried on a float and provide a visual focus for the events.
Mike's creation will be 15ft long and 6ft fall - but anyone hoping to take it on to the water will be disappointed - it is built as a facade to be used like a piece of stage scenery.
"It's basically like a stage set, a flat pack view of the ark. The wood we're using may float, but it certainly wouldn't float like a boat!
"It is just nice and simple and something that can be used as a frame for what's going to happen."
Mike was approached by organisers of an event called Climate justice run by a campaign group called Operation Noah.
He was recommended to them by staff at Doncaster Minster who had used his work in the past.
The event in Doncaster on Saturday July 11 will see a march from Hallgate to St George's Minster, before Doncaster North MP and secretary of state for energy and climate change Ed Miliband joins the campaigners for a question and answer session.
The ark will also be used in a London event on July 2.
Operation Noah is calling for developed countries to reduce carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 and assist poorer countries in adapting to climate change, and wants something sorting out at a summit due to be held this year in Copenhagen.
Mike will be working on the ark with Doncaster College spatial design graduates Alice Farrington and Louise Lambert.
He is delighted to have been asked to get involved as he sees global warming as the most important issue facing the modern world.
The Doncaster event will see hundreds of youngsters from schools in the borough taking part dressed as animals as part of the parade
Organiser Mark Dowd said: "It is important to make it colourful - not be just about doom and gloom."
The ark is not the first time Mike has been involved with an environmental work.
His 42ft high White Rose Way dinosaur, built of scrap metal and car parts, promoted the message that if we did not recycle we would end up extinct like the dinosaurs, Doncaster Council said at the time.
Unfortunately, the distinctive sculpture went the way of the dinosaurs - it was scrapped to make way for Doncaster in Bloom floral displays.
Buy The Star - Monday to Saturday - for local news, sport, features and ads. To subscribe CLICK HERE
READ MORE
Main news index
Your letters
Features
South Yorkshire's environmental news
Kids Zone
More business news
More Rotherham news
More Doncaster news
More Barnsley news
Latest sport
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sheffield
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
