Britain’s First Astronaut, Helen Sharman, Selects Cumbrian Stone for United Nations Project
Britain’s first astronaut, Helen Sharman, has visited a South Cumbrian quarry to select a piece of stone for an international United Nations project.
Ms Sharman travelled to Burlington Stone’s Broughton Moor Quarry, near Broughton-in-Furness. The chosen stone will help mark the 25th anniversary of the Children’s Meeting Place at the United Nations Office in Nairobi, Kenya.
A special ceremony will take place on the International Day of Peace on September 21, 2026.
Cumbrian Stone to Become Part of Global Project
The visit was organised by Cumbria Geoconservation, a special interest group of Cumbria Wildlife Trust.
The group worked with Burlington Stone quarry director Ian Kelly to arrange the visit and help Ms Sharman select a suitable piece of local stone.
Burlington Stone supplied the material and welcomed the astronaut to its Broughton Moor site.
Astronauts from several other countries are also expected to provide stones for the anniversary. Together, the pieces will create an international link between different nations and their landscapes.
What Is the Children’s Meeting Place?
The Children’s Meeting Place was established at the United Nations grounds in Nairobi in 2001.
It is run by Swedish organisation Globetree and centres around a large acacia tree. The space gives children an opportunity to meet adults and world leaders to share their ideas, concerns and hopes for the future.
Children from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Finland and Sweden took part in its original opening events.
The anniversary project will continue its focus on peace, the environment and the future of the planet.
Stone Connects Cumbria to the Wider World
Ms Sharman said the stone represented connections between the planet, people and time.
The rock found around the South Lakes was formed by volcanic activity hundreds of millions of years ago. Glaciers later moved similar stones across the landscape during the last Ice Age.
Some of these rocks were used by Neolithic communities to form Castlerigg Stone Circle, near Keswick. The historic site is believed to be around 4,500 to 5,000 years old.
Ms Sharman described the piece selected from Broughton Moor Quarry as both “meaningful and beautiful”. She also thanked Burlington Stone for allowing it to become part of the project.
Ian Kelly said it was a privilege to welcome the astronaut and help her choose a piece of Cumbrian stone for such an important international scheme.
He added that the rock’s geological history made it a fitting addition to a place where future generations can consider peace, the planet and their shared future.
Who Is Helen Sharman?
Helen Sharman became the first British person in space when she launched aboard a Soyuz spacecraft on May 18, 1991.
During the Project Juno mission, she spent eight days in space and worked aboard the Mir space station. Her experiments covered areas including weightlessness, plants and crystal growth.
She is also recognised as the first European woman to travel into space.
Her latest visit means a small part of South Cumbria will now play a role in an international anniversary event more than 4,000 miles away.
