Press
November 10, 2006
Winnie-the-Pooh and Stiff Upper Lip make it onto Icons list
Winnie-the-Pooh, Sergeant Pepper, Doctor Who, Westminster Abbey, the Stiff Upper Lip, the Rolls-Royce and V-sign all make it onto the ICONS list 21 new Icons of England revealed today (10 November)
Children’s favourites Winnie-the-Pooh and Doctor Who share centre stage with Sergeant Pepper, the Stiff Upper Lip and the Peak District, as new Icons of England, voted for by the public and selected by a panel of experts. Their iconic status is confirmed today (November 10) as ICONS – A Portrait of England – www.ICONS.org.uk - announces its fourth wave of national icons.
The project, which launched in January, now includes 74 official Icons of England which have been given the star treatment online with themed in-depth features, quizzes, video clips and interviews on the site. Funded initially by Culture Online, part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, ICONS has attracted more than 700 nominations, with people voting and commenting on their favourite icons. More than 800,000 people have visited the site.
The 21 new icons revealed today include: Winnie-the-Pooh, Westminster Abbey, Narrow-boats on canals, Stiff upper lip,
Cheddar, Rolls-Royce, English Weather, the Tube Map, the Robin, the Peak District, Guy Fawkes Night, Doctor Who, the Thames, Red telephone box, Wimbledon, Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, the V-Sign, the Rose, Iron Bridge, Sergeant Pepper, Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management.
Celebrities ranging from Michael Palin, Greg Rusedski, Sir Henry Cooper, Dame Ellen McArthur to Griff Rhys Jones have all joined in the ICONS debate about what makes an Icon of England.
"When I was a lad in Sheffield, the Peak District was some kind of exotic, faraway land which I could get to without spending a lot of money. I explored the Peak District on my bicycle, so it was somewhere I kind of discovered myself. It was a wonderful place to be let loose in. Up there on the tops there was really lovely scenery with fantastic views. The Peak District provided me early on with the inspiration to travel and go to places that were different from where I lived." Michael Palin
"Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding is like the a song without words - you can’t have one without the other - they go hand in hand and are synonymous with British cooking." Celebrity chef, Antony Worrall Thompson
"Wimbledon is the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world. As a tennis player your dream is to play there. The history and beauty and the all-important Centre Court is what makes it so special. Your mind runs through all the greats who have played on the hallow ground. May Wimbledon always stay the same – it is one of my Icons of England." Greg Rusedski, England tennis player
"No portrait of England would be complete without including our weather. It shapes our national lifestyle; the way we live, work and play. By influencing the outcome of battles, the weather may have even altered the course of our nation’s history" Peter Gibbs, BBC weatherman
"I love coming back to the Peak District, one of my favourite places. When I was young my dog Mac and I used to disappear and just mess around building dens and being in the open.." Dame Ellen MacArthur, solo round-the-world sailor
"ICONS has the power to reach parts of the nation, nothing else reaches – all the icons chosen for a place of honour in the ICONS collection are developing into a vibrant portrait of England. It is a joy to celebrate life in England, in all its complexity and beauty – and, of course, its rich sense of humour! It wouldn’t be England, without it all," said Jerry Doyle, Managing Director of ICONS. "Like the best England games, ICONS arouses people’s passions and supporters want the icons they nominate to win."
"Where else would you see nominations like the Goon Show, Gateshead’s Millennium Bridge, the Queen’s Christmas Message, Wookey Hole, conkers and Worcester sauce? Teachers love it, because it beats any text-book in the classroom for excitement and stimulation."
The ICONS project works in partnership in a number of ways. One example is the ICONS and MENCAP Xmas calender currently on sale, backed by Dame Judi Dench, at www.MENCAP.co.uk/calender. Its coalition of support round the country embraces a wide range of national cultural, sporting and heritage bodies, as well as charity partners, from the National Trust and Black Cultural Archives to Age Concern and the Football Association.
The ICONS project encourages people to explore, enjoy and celebrate the country’s cultural treasures online and also in the real world. ICONS is also working with Visit Britain to explore ways of utilising the ICONS site to attract potential tourists eager to find out what makes England tick. Unexpectedly it has also been a place that many ex-Pats, in Australia or other far-flung parts, 'come home to'.
Do you want to add your nomination to the Icons of England site? Visit the Icons website.