I am disappointed to report that the campaign to raise funds for a unique life-size statue of Wallace to mark the 100th anniversary of his death this year is still £30,000 away from its target, and there are only a few days left... Unfortunately the fundraising has to stop on the 31st January 2013 to give the sculptor enough time to produce the work for the anniversary on the 7th November.
Myself, Sreela Banerjee and Mark Walley have invested a lot of time and effort trying to raise the money, but it would seem that the poor economic situation in the UK and the USA means that people and organisations do not have cash to donate at the moment. Even big companies in the City of London and the famous learned societies that Wallace was associated with have been unable to help...
Looking on the bright side, the Wallace Memorial Fund has received around £20,000 from about 40 generous individuals and small organisations, which is considerably more than the Fund has ever raised for any project in the past! This is enough to commission a twice life-sized bust of the great man, which will be unveiled at the Natural History Museum on the 7th November by a certain famous naturalist (who has to remain anonymous for the moment). It would have been really sad if there was nothing to unveil..
So very many thanks to everyone who donated, not least Alan Smith who contributed half of the amount raised! I have actually been moved by the fact that several fans of Wallace who are not financially well off have given more than they can really afford to the statue - so very many thanks indeed to them. Your money will be well invested, as literally millions of visitors to the Museum will see the bust and it will help to keep Wallace's memory alive.
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