The Portrait Benches project commemorates local heroes nominated by their communities by immortalising them as life-sized steel figures. You'll find them on National Cycle Network routes across the UK. This latest iteration of the project is in celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
Portrait Bench figures can be found on National Cycle Network routes all across the UK.
As part of the Portrait Benches project, we're celebrating legendary actress Dame Judi Dench alongside a true veteran of Sustrans, Dave Jackson.
Route 65 is a fantastic long-distance cycling adventure running from the lovely seaside town of Hornsea to Middlesbrough.
It offers cycle tourers the opportunity to explore some of the most beautiful landscapes the North of England has to offer.
Between Bishopthorpe and Riccall you can see the ‘Solar System’ artwork, scale models of the planets proportionally placed from the Sun and each other.
To mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, local communities nominated heroes from their hometowns.
These heroes have been immortalised as steel figures along the National Cycle Network.
Explore the National Cycle Network
Find walking, wheeling and cycling routes near youCelebrating York's local heroes
Dame Judi Dench
Dame Judi Dench is an actress of stage and screen who was born and raised in the Heworth area of York.
For over seven decades she has received popular and critical admiration for outstanding performances in both classical and contemporary roles.
Her many awards include ten BAFTAs, an Academy Award, and a record eight Laurence Olivier Awards.
Judi became a Dame in 1988 and in 2005 was awarded a Companion of Honour.
Dave Jackson
Dave Jackson, aged 75, is a true Sustrans veteran.
He dedicated 31 years of work to the walking, wheeling, and cycling charity as a construction and maintenance manager.
Dave was born and bred in York and is a keen cyclist to this day.
A highlight of his career was his involvement in the creation of the York to Selby route in 1984, which was the first path built by Sustrans.