APPRENTICES from the Cammell Laird shipyard are giving collectors and investors the chance to bid for a unique piece of Merseyside maritime memorabilia.

The piece is a spectacular steel, copper and brass sculpture of the ’92 schooner the Spirit of Fairbridge.

It was designed and made by Cammell Laird apprentices over three months last year under the guidance of Phil Mills, a resident artist at Liverpool’s Bridewell Studios and Cammell Laird supervisor.

The sculpture is being displayed at the 'Art in the City' exhibition being staged by Liverpool Insurance Brokers Griffiths & Armour.

The exhibition can be viewed at the Met Quarter until this Thursday, February 27.

Buyers will be able to bid in person at an auction at the Wall to Wall Gallery on Wednesday February 27 between 7pm to 10pm, see link below this article.

The piece will remain available to buy until midnight on Sunday March 31 via email bids made to Cammell Laird HR director Danny Hart. A starting bid of £1,000 is already on the books.

The apprentices made the one off sculpture, which is likely to become a highly sought after collectors item, as part of their Zero to Hero challenge.

Zero to Hero is a corporate challenge where Mersey companies form business ideas to raise funds for The Prince’s Trust Fairbridge programme.

In the last three years Cammell Laird apprentices have raised more than £90,000 for the cause.

The apprentices wanted to recognise the Spirit of Fairbridge as the vessel has close links with the region having being built in Liverpool in the early 1980s.

Today the vessel offers young people engaged on the Fairbridge programme the chance to experience life at sea and build teamwork and communication skills.

Cammell Laird HR manager Danny Hart said the auction represents a very special opportunity to invest in a piece of memorabilia which can be handed down to future generations. 

"Having taken pride of place in the Prince’s Trust Liverpool Centre for a year, the time has now come to auction off the sculpture to raise much needed funds for the Fairbridge programme," he said.

"The sculpture would make an ideal focal point either in a corporate environment or in the home of someone with a real passion for Merseyside marine memorabilia.

"It represents true craftsmanship and embodies the hope and passion instilled in young people during their experience on ‘Spirit’ and through the Fairbridge programme."

To register a bid via email contact Danny Hart email: d.hart@cammell-laird.co.uk phone: 0151 649 6600

For further details on the auction and the sculpture:

VISIT: http://www.liverpoolart.co.uk or www.princestrust.org.uk