A Stockport Park has paid tribute to an 11-year-old resident whose creative vision during the Covid-19 pandemic brought together a community.
Georgi ‘Geo’ Wilson, 11, inspired the new memorial at Vernon Park after creating a Snake Mural of over 1,000 painted pebbles.
Vernon Park, a cherished green space in the heart of Stockport, is now home to a unique and heartfelt memorial seating area celebrating community resilience, creativity, and, of course, young Geo.
Stockport Council launched its COVID Community Commemoration Project to support community groups in designing, creating and installing public memorials to celebrate how communities came together during the COVID-19 pandemic whilst remembering lost loved ones.
This project, one of 30, was also supported by local charity Pure Innovations. The seating area includes benches made from Vernon Park memorial bench ends. It incorporates ceramic designs created by those who attend Pure Innovations art groups, as well as a heart-shaped floor design which incorporates elements from Geo’s painted pebble snake known as “Stan the Snake.”
Geo started Stan the Snake during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Geo’s vision transformed simple painted pebbles into a long, winding snake that quickly symbolised hope, community, and solidarity. As residents added their decorated stones, Stan the Snake grew longer, embodying the collective spirit and creativity of Stockport’s community.
