Vandalised stone given new home at Mandela Memorial Garden turns act of hate into one of love

A half-tonne memorial stone pushed into Princes Park’s lake in an act of vandalism more than 18 months ago has finally been given a new home at the entrance to the Mandela Memorial Garden in Liverpool.

The stone was one of 32 cylindrical pedestals designed to represent the oil drums used by Nelson Mandela to grow an allotment on the rooftop of Pollsmoor Prison, each containing inspirational quotes by the late anti-apartheid activist and South African President.

In November 2023 the stone which had yet to be installed at the memorial garden on the island at the city park was forced off its pallet and into the water, while others were daubed with racist graffiti.

But after it was unveiled in pride of place at the gateway to the memorial garden on Friday, National Mandela Day, Mandela 8 chair Sonia Bassey, said: “An act of hate has been transformed into an act of love. 

“We have found a new place for the stone at the entrance to the memorial garden, and it is a reminder that something positive can always be found from a negative.”

Sonia added: “While it sadly showed too that there is still hate, and there is still a need to educate people, and to understand and celebrate our differences, it gave us the opportunity to take stock and think about where else we could place this stone.”

By the time the stone was rescued the bridge to the island had been built and paving stones laid: “And we couldn’t risk damaging those to reinstate it on the island,” said Sonia.

“So we decided we wanted to do something different with the stone and with another spare pedestal, and they now signpost people to the memorial garden with inspirational words and reinforce the significance of the garden and its powerful and peaceful message.”

Sonia – who heads the Mandela 8 charity which aims to educate young people to ensure social justice and human rights and change mindsets to bring people together – was speaking after the city had seen a host of positive Acts of Kindness on Mandela Day.

Volunteers had planted unloved areas in the city’s business district, Granby Toxteth Development Trust held a men’s wellbeing event at Riverview in partnership with Mandela8, and there was a guided walk along Princes Avenue to Princes Park and the Mandela Memorial on the island where the gateway stones installed in time for Mandela Day, and the story behind their installation, was told for the first time.  

Many people had undertaken other random acts of kindness including a local karate group, the Mushin Kai Squad who train with Alfie Lewis, which did a sponsored run for Cancer Research UK: “To see young people involved as well as adults was brilliant,” smiled Sonia. “True respect goes to them, raising funds to combat cancer as part of their Mandela Day Act of Kindness.

“They raised £150, so a thank you and well done from us all at Mandela 8.”

She continued: “There is always a positive, and what happened on Friday and at the memorial garden shows this.

“Princes Park and the island is now a positive area for people and wildlife which we see whenever we visit.

“And the garden is a place of peace, of relaxation and reflection.”

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