One of the benches at the top of Windmill Hill in Hitchin has had a colourful makeover!
With some benches needing to be replaced, and North Herts Pride keen to install a rainbow bench in the location, it was agreed that the group could custom one of the new replacements.
The late Cllr Judi Billing, district and county councillor, gave North Herts Pride some money towards the special bench via her Hertfordshire County Council locality budget. The group was then able to commission local artist Jacob Williams-Leroy to paint the bench with the rainbow colours to represent LGBT+ communities. A plaque will also be added to the bench saying: ‘Love conquers all – North Herts Pride’.
Cllr Ian Albert, Judi’s county successor and local North Herts councillor, said: “I am so pleased that something Judi was working with North Herts Pride on has now come to fruition. The bench will be a fantastic addition to Windmill Hill and in a place that Judi and her family treasured.”
The bench will be a focal point for ‘Katie’s Picnics’ a regular community get-together at Windmill Hill. The next picnic is on Saturday, 18 March, at 12pm – please bring your own food and drink, everyone is welcome!
Niamh Skinner, Director at North Herts Pride, added: “We at North Herts Pride are so pleased to have worked with the councils to have one of the benches on Windmill Hill replaced with a Pride bench, and we have to give a huge thanks to Judi Billing for approving a grant for us to be able to do so!
“We’d love everyone to join us on Windmill Hill on Saturday for Katie’s Picnic, we’ll be doing a small unveiling of the bench at 1.30pm, so we hope to see you there. We will relocate to Hitchin Museum Café if the weather is unpleasant.”
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