The award winning ‘Bertie the Sea Bass’ will be crossing Irish seas next month to be showcased at a prestigious reception in Dublin.
Since being launched last year the 14 by seven-foot sculpture built by local sculptor Gideon Petersen has helped Amroth Community Council scoop the Environment Award at the One Voice Wales Innovation Conference, which saw the seaside village’s ‘Clean Seas Project’ coming up trumps.
This year at the British Ambassador to Ireland’s annual summer reception for Business leaders, Ministers, senior government officials, and contacts from across the world of sport, culture and media which will be held in Ireland on September 4, ‘Bertie’ has been asked to attend after being identified as a ‘feature’ that showcases Wales under the ‘sustainability and climate’ theme of the event.
Discussing the matter at a recent meeting of Amroth Community Council, members agreed that it would be an an ‘excellent opportunity’ as Bertie fitted the overall theme, of the event.
Kathryn Hallett has secured sponsorship from Nolan Transport and Irish ferries to transport Bertie to Ireland which links into a €2.5m project on ports – past present and future funded through the Ireland Wales Programme.
‘Bertie’ has been travelling across Pembrokeshire recently as a teaching tool to help spread the ‘Turn the Tide on Plastic’ message, as part of a project led by Amroth and Saundersfoot Community Councils with support from Arwain Sir Benfro, PLANED and Valero.
Bertie has been part of a teaching initiative undertaken to help inspire schoolchildren to reduce, re-use and recycle.
Councillors agreed in principle to ‘Bertie’ attending the reception in Dublin, but that due to the sculpture’s design it was agreed that his creator - Gideon should transport and fix Bertie safely for any public event.