Help build a statue of Monty Python legend Terry Jones

** Update 14.02.2025 **

A Message From Sally and Bill - WE’VE HIT OUR TARGET!!

“We are absolutely stunned that we’ve hit our target and want to thank everyone who has made a donation or bought a campaign t-shirt.

We have had donations from all over the world and everyone has been so overwhelmingly positive about having a statue of our old Dad. Just like us, we are sure he would have been blown away by the response.

We now have more than enough to pay for all aspects of raising a statue of Dad but we don’t want to stop there, we would really love people to carry on giving and from this point on all donations will be split between the Conwy Arts Trust and The National Brain Appeal.

Both of these UK registered charities were dear to Dad’s heart and provide extraordinary life changing services to so many across North Wales and the rest of the UK.

We want to make sure that Dad’s statue has a significant lasting legacy not only bringing visitors to North Wales but helping local people build a life in the arts and providing vital support for those with dementia and their families.”

The campaign is being run by the Conwy Arts Trust (CAT), in partnership with Terry’s family. The Trust, which was founded in 2013, believes in the power of the arts to change lives. Its mission is to promote, maintain and advance education and an appreciation of the arts across the county borough of Conwy. The Trust supports Theatr Colwyn and Oriel Colwyn in Colwyn Bay and runs a range of arts projects across the county in conjunction with the Conwy County Borough Council culture service, Venue Cymru and a number of other organisations. CAT projects have a particular focus on wellbeing initiatives and on supporting young people.

The National Brain Appeal funds a pioneering service called Rare Dementia Support, and they helped Terry and his family through his dementia diagnosis and progression. Around 150,000 people in the UK are affected by rare forms of dementia that can strike at a young age, may be directly inherited, and often affect skills other than memory, such as vision, language, behaviour and movement. With support groups all around the UK and more than 7,000 members, Rare Dementia Support is a lifeline for those affected, and their families - empowering, guiding and informing them, as well as providing opportunities to meet other people living with similar conditions. The charity has also funded the world’s first Rare Dementia Support.

** Update January 2025 **

We are so grateful for the incredible support our campaign continues to receive and we are incredibly close to our £120,000 target!

‘The Life of Terry’ a fascinating exhibition of Terry’s personal archives, is now open at Oriel Colwyn gallery, Colwyn Bay. Terry’s family and Monty Python have lent over 100 photos and other items to Curator Paul Sampson, with the exhibition including rarely seen pages of Terry’s original notebooks, including alternative lyrics to Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, his own hand drawn storyboards for Monty Python’s 1981’ film The Meaning of Life, as well as original posters and other memorabilia. Tickets to the exhibition are £5 and money raised goes to our campaign. Get them here

*Now On Sale*

Our much sought after A Python On The Prom t-shirts!

Click Here To Buy Yours Now!

All proceeds will go directly towards the statue appeal and each t-shirt has a handy QR code linking to our Go Fund Me page, so by wearing this shirt, you are helping us spread the word!

Our t-shirts as worn by Emma Thompson and Terry Gilliam

A message from Terry’s family

“It would be wonderful if you could join us in becoming a supporter of A Python on the Prom. Terry loved Wales and we think he’d be incredibly proud that his home town wants to remember him in this way. We’ve started the ball rolling with a donation, but we can only reach our target with your help. Please donate now.” - Sally and Bill Jones

Our lovely campaign t-shirts modelled by Bill, Michael and Sally

A bit about Terry and his love of Colwyn Bay

Terry needs no introduction…but just in case - he was the Welsh one in Monty Python, that comedy collective who were famous for having their film, Life of Brian, banned in Aberystwyth. Born in Colwyn Bay, Terry was a proud Welshman, forever proclaiming his Welshness in an accent straight out of Surrey. The idea for a statue came from Terry’s friends at Theatr Colwyn. Terry was their very first Patron and he’d often come to Colwyn Bay for screenings or fundraising events. After his death due to dementia in January 2020, Theatr Colwyn contacted Sally and Bill, Terry’s children, and asked if they thought a statue of Terry might be a good idea. They both thought it would be wonderful and so this campaign was born.

Terry on the beach in Colwyn Bay in 1944 or 1945

About the statue

Terry would’ve been the first to think a statue of himself was a silly notion, but secretly he would’ve been immensely proud that his hometown truly accepts him as a Welshman. The plan is for a life-size statue to sit on the Promenade, not on a plinth, but on the ground, amongst the beach goers, who can shake his hand or put an arm round him for a chat and a photo. Terry was always an approachable, affable man, so we think he would be happiest next to his beloved beach, back once again in his home town.

Colwyn sign on the promenade, Colwyn Bay

Who will make it?

Just 5 miles up the coast from Colwyn Bay, local artist Nick Elphick will bring Terry’s likeness to life. Nick is a passionate visionary who’s spent the better part of his career studying the human form. He’s gained countless headlines, and global recognition, for his beautifully crafted bronzes. Much like Terry, Nick boldly takes on the traditionalist and sticks two fingers up! We think, to best reflect a life spent in silliness, it would be fitting for Terry to be represented in character. We’ll be working with Nick to design something really special that celebrates Terry’s life in comedy.

Nick Elphick in his Llandudno Studio © Curve Media

What is the Conwy Arts Trust?

This campaign is being run by the Conwy Arts Trust (CAT), in partnership with Terry’s family. The Trust was founded in 2013 to promote, maintain and advance education and an appreciation of the arts, across the county borough of Conwy, north Wales. As well as supporting Theatr Colwyn and other arts venues the Trust also runs a range of arts projects, including educational workshops and outreach projects - as well as working with partner organisations supporting arts projects across Conwy county. They believe in the power of the arts to change lives.

CAT’s ‘take pART’ an annual arts, literature and science festival for young people

A lasting legacy

It is our hope that this statue will bring people who loved Terry from around the world to visit Colwyn Bay; and that when they come and maybe take a cheeky photo with him, they also make a donation. The statue will feature a QR code so any visitor can use their phone to easily make a donation. All donations will go to support the arts in North Wales through the Conwy Arts Trust, as well as supporting research and care for those with dementia through the National Brain Appeal, they fund the Rare Dementia Support Service and the world's first Rare Dementia Support Centre.

We lost Terry to dementia in 2020 and it is our sincere hope that through this campaign we can help raise awareness of dementia and support research into finding a cure.

The beach and Promenade at Colwyn Bay

Thank you for making a donation and thank you for your support.