- Over 100 residents have now taken part in blacksmithing workshops for new public sculpture
- Unity Shield to be permanently installed at Tamworth Castle in spring 2026
- Part of Handcrafted Heritage: a community-making programme from Tamworth Borough Council
- Project celebrates Tamworth’s heritage and promotes resilience, inclusion, and community pride
Tamworth Borough Council is proud to announce that over 100 local residents have already taken part in a unique series of blacksmithing workshops to contribute to the creation of the Unity Shield – a new community sculpture that will be permanently installed at Tamworth Castle.
The sculpture is being delivered through the Handcrafted Heritage programme, a Tamworth Borough Council initiative led by Tamworth Castle. This programme aims to revive traditional crafts once practised at the castle, many of which would have been common in Anglo-Saxon Mercia and is supported by the Community Recovery Fund and the Asylum Seeker Dispersal Fund.
The Unity Shield's design features an Anglo-Saxon style round shield at its centre incorporating animal symbols from the Staffordshire Hoard. These represented power and protection in Anglo-Saxon culture and are fitting for Tamworth, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Mercia. Surrounding the shield will be a border of 160 metal hands symbolising welcome, unity, and the many hands involved in creating it.
Four blacksmithing workshops have taken place so far across Tamworth, bringing together a wide cross-section of the community. These include a session with asylum seekers and refugee families, a workshop with members of the Tamworth African Caribbean Community, and public drop-in events at the Kaleidoscope of Dreams Festival and the Athelstan 1100 celebration.
Led by Richard Salisbury, a skilled blacksmith, each participant has forged a hand or symbol in steel, leaving their initials and a personal contribution to a lasting artwork that celebrates Tamworth’s Anglo-Saxon history and the strength of its modern community.
Councillor Sarah Daniels, Portfolio Holder for Cooperative Council, Community Partnerships and ASB, said:
"The Unity Shield is more than an artwork, it’s a statement of who we are. Forged with traditional skills, inspired by Anglo-Saxon history, and made by the hands of our community, it connects Tamworth’s past with our shared future.
“We’re proud to support this project through Handcrafted Heritage, and we’re excited to see the Unity Shield installed at Tamworth Castle where it can be seen and celebrated by all.”
Workshops will continue in the coming months with new sessions planned for autumn, including work with the Sacred Heart Church craft group. Tamworth Borough Council is also exploring opportunities for local schools and community groups to get involved ahead of the sculpture’s completion in early 2026.
This project reflects Tamworth Borough Council’s ongoing commitment to supporting community-led initiatives that bring people together, celebrate heritage, and create lasting change.
The Unity Shield project is delivered by Tamworth Borough Council and funded from part of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government community recovery fund, a grant of £600,000 awarded following the civil unrest in Tamworth on 4 August, to enhance community cohesion and rebuild social trust in Tamworth.