Sophie uses hour on plinth to give wings to ideas

The flights of fancy were launched off the fourth plinth in London's Trafalgar Square by Sophie Harvey.

She threw more than 150 of the familiar A5-sized objects through the air from her vantage point up to 26ft above the ground.

They had an instant effect on the crowd of up to 1,000 who gathered around the landmark.

"I wrote 'give someone a hug' on one of the aeroplanes and it was picked up by a young boy who did just that to his dad," said Sophie.

"Other people were scrambling to get hold of the aeroplanes before they landed.

"It was amazing how something as simple as that connected people, even complete strangers, and brought them together.

"It was mind-blowing being on the plinth. I am so privileged to have got to stand up there."

Sophie, 24, is the wood products co-ordinator at the Aldingbourne Country Centre.

She used her hour on the plinth '“ between 5pm and 6pm last Wednesday '“ to highlight the work of the centre's operator, the Aldingbourne Trust.

Some of its clients created messages and drawings featured on a selection of the aeroplanes launched by Sophie.

She also created a piece of art based on her view up in the air.

The impressionistic scene contains mixed media including pencils, graphite, pastels and a collage from that day's Evening Standard.

It will be auctioned on ebay between August 17 and 26 to raise money for the trust.

Sophie is one of 2,400 people to have the chance of an hour on the plinth in the north-west corner of Trafalgar Square in a 100-day project by artist Anthony Gormley.

It ends on October 14. Some 30,000 people have applied to take part.

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