People can now donate online to help pay for a statue of the Colchester woman who wrote the world famous nursery rhyme “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”.

A dedicated GoFundMe page has been set up. Donations, of any amount, can be made using debit/credit card, PayPal or ApplePay via this link: https://gofund.me/c1bfae10

The poem was written in 1806 by Jane Taylor. The proposed statue will feature Jane and her sister Ann. Both were prolific writers of poems for “infant minds” as described on a plaque on the front of the house where the family lived in West Stockwell Street

Planning permission for the statue was given in July by Colchester Borough Council. It will be sited diagonally opposite the Town Hall, on the wide section of pavement to the east of Pelham’s Lane.

The campaign for the statue is being led by Colchester High Steward Sir Bob Russell.

He has so far raised £14,000 towards the estimated cost of £75,000.

Sir Bob said: “Now that I have planning permission I hope that individuals and organisations will wish to be associated with what is intended to be both a tribute to the sisters and also something that has the potential to be a major tourist attraction.

“In addition to individual donations, the more the merrier, it is to be hoped that businesses which will benefit from such tourism will be generous benefactors.”

Cheques payable to “Twinkle Star Fund” can be sent to Sir Bob at 35 Catchpool Road, Colchester CO1 1XN.

Sir Bob added: “Colchester should be proud that this internationally recognised nursery rhyme was written here. It is sung throughout the world in scores of different languages.”

Further background information about the Taylor sisters and the Twinkle Star statue project can be viewed on a “History Indoors” YouTube discussion at https://youtu.be/MK48Gghs7ZE