At the reception last night at the City Chambers we met Owen Smith (on the right above), one of the founders of the Ken Buchanan Foundation. The Foundation wants to put up a statue to the 71 year-old former boxer who many regard as the greatest Scottish boxer of all time.
With victories in far flung places like Puerto Rico and Madison Square Gardens in New York in his past, Ken Buchanan received the MBE in 1971 in recognition of his stellar career. He retired from boxing in 1982 and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2000. So perhaps a statue is appropriate. What do you think?
Would you like to see a statue of Ken Buchanan in Edinburgh? We spoke to Owen Smith of the Ken Buchanan Foundation who is right behind it. pic.twitter.com/IT9OKsMcqO
— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) March 4, 2017
Mr Smith told The Edinburgh Reporter where a statue might eventually find its home : “A lot of people want it in Leith, but the favoured place is Meadowbank Stadium, so maybe they can rename Meadowbank Stadium too after the revamp of the stadium.
” I’ve known Ken since I was 13. He was my manager when I was boxing and we have been lifelong friends. We need £50,000 but already have £11,000 since we started six months ago.”
There is a GoFundMe page here and a JustGiving page here.
The Ken Buchanan MBE Foundation Facebook page explains the goal:
The primary purpose of the Foundation is to raise funds for, commission and have publicly sited in Edinburgh a statue of Ken Buchanan to act as a fitting, cultural memorial of his world class achievements.
Secondary purposes of the Foundation are:
(a) To sponsor or otherwise support young persons in Scotland showing promise in boxing or other sports or athletic events.
(b) To promote and encourage the participation by children, including but without limitation children with disabilities or special needs, in sport in Edinburgh and Leith.
(c) To make donations to charities for children, including but without limitation children with disabilities or special needs, or for the encouragement of public participation in sport.
On the left above is Bradley Welsh owner of Holyrood Boxing Gym, and recent star of Trainspotting 2.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
