Patrick Comerford
A fibreglass model of a new statue honouring Jennie Lee, the driving force behind the creation of the Open University, has been drawing a lot attention in Station Square in Milton Keynes, since was unveiled two months ago on 24 March.
The full-size fibreglass model was created by the sculptor Andy Edwards and is on display in Station Square to gather public feedback before the final bronze artwork has its permanent installation later this year (2026), celebrating the 60th anniversary of Jennie Lee’s 1966 White Paper that led to the establishment of the Open University in 1969.
The early fibreglass model of the bronze sculpture has been placed in Station Square to ensure it has maximum visibility among residents and visitors to Milton Keynes. The initiative, led by Milton Keynes City Council and the Open University, honours her legacy in transforming education for over 2.3 million students world-wide.
The artist Andy Edwards is using the fibreglass model to collaborate with local people to fix on the final placement of his statue in Station Square. He engaged in similar exercises in the past with other high-profile commissions, such as his Beatles sculpture in Liverpool.
The Open University was established in Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, in 1969. Since then it has taught more than 2.3 million students worldwide, and has around 200,000 students today.
Jennie Lee (Baroness Lee of Asheridge) was a trailblazing politician who championed universal access to education and the arts. The statue honours her role in founding the Open University in Milton Keynes and her lifelong commitment to the arts, education and public service.
Jennie Lee was born in Fife, Scotland, in 1904, and was elected MP for North Lanark in 1929. She was one of the first women to be elected to the House of Commons and at the age of 24 was also the youngest member of the House at the time. Later she sat as MP for Cannock in Staffordshire (1945-1970).
In 1934, Jennie Lee married the left-wing Welsh Labour MP Aneurin Bevan, who died in 1960. She became Minister for the Arts in Harold Wilson’s government in 1964. Her White Paper for the Arts in 1965 insisted that the arts should be central to everyday life and publicly supported for the benefit of all, cementing the establishment of a national cultural policy through the Arts Council.
She produced the landmark White Paper on the University of the Air in February 1966, laying the groundwork and effectively founding the Open University. She fought for a university that was both open to everyone and that operated to the highest standards. She died in November 1988.
The sculptor Andy Edwards is founding director of Cornovii Edwards. He was selected to make this statue because of his outstanding portfolio of previous commissions, including the Beatles and Bob Marley in Liverpool, former Manchester United football manager Sir Alex Ferguson in Aberdeen, David Bowie and Queen Elizabeth II, as well as his knowledge, passion and enthusiasm for the opportunity to celebrate the life and work of Jennie Lee.
Andy Edwards said that without Baroness Lee and the Open University, he would not have followed a career as a sculptor.
He said his sculpture shows Jenny Lee ‘at the height of her powers’ and added: ‘I had that image of her addressing people in my mind and that is a prime part of this likeness, which also reflects Jenny throughout the ages.’
The leader of Milton City Council at the time, Councillor Pete Marland, unveiled the fibreglass version of the statue at Station Square on 24 March 2026. The final bronze statue will be installed at Station Square later this year, and the fibreglass version will remain on display at the Open University campus.
The Jennie Lee Archive collection is based at the Open University, and the archive team is working closely with Andy Edwards on developing the commission. The project is being funded through contributions from housing and infrastructure developers.
