Whether they are physical, emotional or spiritual, we all embark on a journey. Sometimes we don’t believe we will reach our destination. Sometimes we fear the path, or are excited by it, but each time we learn something new.

‘Journeys’ is inspired by the voyage of the iconic ship the Mayflower which carried pilgrims from Holland and England to America in 1620. This was a miserable and treacherous journey, with the 102 men, women and children on board at the mercy of the sea. However, this dangerous journey to reach the New World, was equally one of hope.

This sculpture represents how our own journeys may not be this obvious, we might not even recognise them at the time – just as we cannot see the wind that pushes into a sail, but we do feel its force as the boat progresses through the water. The tilted mast represents not only the stormy waters the Mayflower battled through, but the difficulties encountered in any personal journey.

The message I’d like ‘Journey’ to convey is that with tenacity and perseverance we can overcome hurdles we face in our lifetime. I hope to show how the ultimate achievement is greater than if the journey had been “plain sailing”.

More than 130 million people can trace their ancestry to the passengers and crew on board the Mayflower. Every journey we make as individuals has impact. Today, 400 years on from the Mayflower’s journey, climate change is at the forefront of our global agenda. At a time in history when we are encouraged to carefully consider our carbon footprint and every physical journey we make, could our quest to become carbon neutral be the most important journey of our time?

Words by Laura Trant and Nadine Collinson