Light her up (From St Helens Star)

Light her up

10:42am Thursday 5th March 2009

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THERE’S a small splash of light, high on the town hall at night, to pick out the third-century saint who gave her name to the borough of St Helens.

The glow is not bright enough.

It only dapples her feet ... and roosting pigeons still nestle high on her saintly head!

The council is aware of that new subdued lighting, and intends to step up the power in the near future.

I set the campaign rolling to have the statue of St Helena Light her up (otherwise known as St Elyn) properly illuminated.

I discovered that the passing pedestrians had no idea that her statue was fixed in a niche high up on the right, below the Mayor’s Parlour.

No-one had even noticed this dramatic,almost life-sized figure.

Energetic Councillor Wally Ashcroft (happily beginning to hop about again after having his second false hip fitted) was alerted by my findings and leapt into action.

The lamp men eventually moved in, to moderately illuminate the statue.

St Helena discovered the True Cross of Christ.

A tiny splinter of it is kept in a St Helens Catholic church.

She was the wife of Constantine Chlorus and the mother of the famed Emperor Constantine the Great (c285-337).

LET’S give her the shining glory she deserves ...and get those pigeons swept off her noble head

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