Restoration of Leaning Woman Wins National Conservation Award
Statue had previously been on Heritage at Risk Register
The restored Leaning Woman statue
November 9, 2026
The restoration of the iconic Leaning Woman sculpture by the A4 Great West Road near St. Peter's Square has been recognised with a prestigious national award, celebrating a project that rescued the landmark public artwork from years of deterioration.
The restoration partnership between Heritage of London Trust (HOLT) and SSH Conservation has won the Public Statues and Sculpture Association (PSSA) Marsh Award for Excellence in the Conservation of a Public Sculpture. The award was presented to the organisations at the PSSA's recent awards ceremony.
The project has transformed the sculpture by Czech-born artist Dr Karel Vogel, which until recently was listed on the Heritage at Risk Register.
The conservation work was carried out by SSH Conservation in 2024 with support from the local community, Hammersmith & Fulham Council and Heritage of London Trust. Following the successful restoration, the sculpture was removed from the Heritage at Risk Register in 2025.
Leaning Woman restoration partnership (SSH Conservation & HOLT) with the award and the hosts
Heritage of London Trust director Dr Nicola Stacey said: "It's an honour to accept this award on behalf of everyone who helped save the Leaning Woman. This was a wonderful community project that demonstrates the power of public art to inspire affection."
The trust also thanked SSH Conservation, the St Peter's Residents' Association, Hammersmith & Fulham Council and the many donors, volunteers and local residents who supported the project.
Created in 1958, Leaning Woman was commissioned by the former London County Council as part of its Patronage of the Arts Scheme, which placed artworks in housing estates, schools and public buildings across the capital.
The sculpture was intended to compensate local residents for the widening of the Great West Road and became a distinctive feature of the Hammersmith landscape. Designed by Dr Karel Vogel, who arrived in Britain from Prague in 1938, the near life-size concrete figure was cast around a metal armature. Vogel described the work as combining "neo-classical calm with the swiftness of the fast modern world".
The Leaning Woman before restoration
Over the decades, however, exposure to the elements left the sculpture in poor condition. Cracks developed in the concrete, the internal iron armature began to corrode and previous repair attempts proved unsuccessful.
In 2023, a crowdfunding campaign organised by HOLT and local supporters helped secure funding for a major restoration programme, alongside support from Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
Conservators repaired cracks and open seams, treated corrosion within the structure, restored the concrete surface and introduced measures to protect the sculpture against future water damage. The surrounding landscape setting was also improved.
The restored sculpture was officially unveiled in July 2024 by HOLT's Royal Patron, HRH The Duke of Gloucester.
An important aspect of the project was its educational programme, which engaged more than 750 young people through HOLT's Proud Places initiative.
The workshops introduced participants to conservation skills and heritage careers while encouraging creativity and confidence. Young people from primary and secondary schools, alternative provision settings and refugee groups took part in visits and activities linked to the restoration project.
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