Tribute to Faye ‘Stevenson’s Rocket’ is permanent memorial to former store manager

Northallerton BID has helped to fund a unique piece of artwork as a lasting tribute to a much-loved former supermarket manager.

 

Faye Stevenson tragically lost her life to cancer 18 months ago – at the age of just 43 – but her colleagues at Tesco wanted there to be a permanent reminder of her.

 

Working with local charity, Chopsticks, they created a temporary wooden train – modelled on the Stephenson’s Rocket – which was placed on the wall next to the Tesco store in East Road. The memorial was welcomed by the public as a colourful improvement to New Row – the route between Tesco and the High Street.

 

Now it has been replaced with a cast-iron replica. It was incorporated into Hambleton District Council’s Northallerton Improvement project, which is upgrading the town centre and adjacent passageways. The wall of the New Row route has been rebuilt in traditional materials, and with additional funding from Northallerton BID the cast iron train was created.

 

“Faye had been at the Northallerton store for around ten years when she died of a rare type of cancer. “She was a very big part of the store – she was always so bright and bubbly and her friends and colleagues wanted her to be forever remembered,” said Tesco store manager Marianna Kettlewell.

 

“This new permanent artwork is a beautiful tribute and it will constantly be filled with plants and flowers to show our respect to her.”

 

The train was created by specialist local craftsmen at Chris Topp near Easingwold