A memorial bench in honour of Nantwich scrap metal man “Flash” Meakin is close to being unveiled, councillors were told.
Nantwich Town Council said a local welder is currently putting the finishing touches to the bench which will placed on Mill Island, close to Queen’s Drive side.
Councillors were told the welder is sourcing the right scrap metal to make the seat part, as the main frame for the bench has been completed.
“The seat will a resin with scrap metal, using the sort that Flash used to collect around town,” said deputy clerk Sheryl Birtles.
“It’s now in the final stages and should be collected very soon so we can place it for the public to see.”
The well-known scrap metal collector died in April 2023 aged 81.
Flash was known for walking the town’s streets for more than 50 years with his famous handcart, making a living by collecting people’s unwanted scrap metal and selling it on.
Thousands lined the streets for his funeral and many residents had called for some kind of memorial structure to be erected in the town in his name.
Some money was raised for the bench through Crowdfunding, with other funding from the council.
Cllr Arthur Moran, of Nantwich Town Council, described Flash as “an icon” for Nantwich.
There are many passed residents of Nantwich that would remember this person as a young man, and raising eyebrows wonder actually just how he got to be honored by having his own seat, this has got to be a lame joke given there are people who lived here were community saints giving freely of their time over the years, raising funds for charity and pitching in where no one else would. Well Nantwich has lost its sparkle if this is the sorry outcome now
Another moronic town councilvanity project and photo opportunity.
Considering the council have contributed to this seat, you would think they could have asked us Dabbers first, if we agreed but no we are expected to pick up the tab for every grandstanding event that comes onto their desk, then they have the nerve to put up local taxes. Bit discourteous of the crowd funding people organising this they should pay everything themselves, after all the town is for the living not the dead, we do not even have a grave yard by the church now, times are changing we don’t need to have all these memorial benches in town, they are depressing, and another drain on resources
Chris, I am appalled that the council would pay for such a memorial when there are certainly better Dabbers out there who should be honoured instead. Such a waste of public funds this is sending entirely the wrong message as Peter Welsh says, the louder the mouth the better the person thought of. Well I wont be sitting on such a mockery of a seat dedicated to a waste of space!!
If you speak to the older generation of the town he’s considered very much more ‘rogue’ than ‘loveable’.
I’ve heard a few stories from my Dad about Flash as a young man, headbutting windows through and the like.
The way of the world C Hallan, those that shout loudest get what they want. I’m old enough to remember Flash and Tinker causing mayhem around Nantwich but much better to assume he was a loveable rogue in his later years.
sorry but did I just read the guy made a living picking up metal to sell, I don’t recall Steptoe getting a memorial.
Isn’t this just pandering to a certain sector of locals and bar buddies, I can think of many volunteers working for charity in this area, or for the benefit of the residents that have not been singled out for praise, the most poignant will be our D-day heroes, where are their seats in the park? sounds well off to me