Andy Edwards graduated from Staffordshire Polytechnic, which later became the University of Staffordshire, in 1986 with a first class honours degree in Design and Applied Arts..

He has since created and installed more than 50 bronze statues and public sculptures, with his work displayed across the UK and internationally.

This week, Andy was awarded the title of Doctor of Arts honoris causa (Hon Darts) at the University's Autumn Awards ceremonies, held at its Stoke-on-Trent campus.

Accepting the award, Andy said: “To receive an honorary degree from University of Staffordshire is a wonderful personal honour. But I see it as something more. I hope that, in some small way, it also represents recognition of the creative potential that exists in the communities from which I came.

“Because there is something special about Stoke-on-Trent. We are a place built on makings things. And a place also that has experienced enormous change, adversity and reinvention. Generations of people here have worked in difficult circumstances, adapted to changing times and found ways to keep going.”

Among Andy's best-known works are statues of The Beatles and Bob Marley in Liverpool, and the Bee Gees in the Isle of Man.

Closer to home, Andy's sculptures have become familiar landmarks across Staffordshire. His Staffordshire Saxon, inspired by the world-famous Staffordshire Hoard, is displayed at The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Hanley.

Other notable works include the statue of Queen Elizabeth II in Newcastle-under-Lyme, unveiled to mark the borough's 850th anniversary, the Sir Stanley Matthews statue in Stoke-on-Trent and a sculpture of Motörhead frontman Lemmy in Burslem.

One of the works Andy is most proud of is the 1914 Christmas Truce monument in Messines, Flanders. Created and gifted by Andy and Castle Foundry, it commemorates the moment 100 years earlier when soldiers from opposing sides of the First World War spontaneously stopped fighting, exchanged gifts and songs, and played football in no man's land.

Receiving the honorary degree, alongside graduates from the University’s range of Creative Industries courses, Andy told the graduating cohort: “Art and creativity isn’t about getting everything right first time. In fact, if you’re getting everything right first time, you probably aren’t taking enough risks.”

He continued: “A mistake isn’t always a failure. Sometimes it is simply a discovery you hadn’t planned to make. Some of the most interesting places we get to in life emerge from accidents, from wrong turns and from being prepared to follow an idea without knowing exactly where it might lead. That’s how we learn, how we develop our own language, our own way of thinking and, ultimately, originality.”

Professor Philip Plowden, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of University of Staffordshire, said: “It is always a pleasure to celebrate the success of our alumni. Especially someone like Andy who is a fantastic ambassador for our University, our city and the wider Staffordshire region.

“Andy’s journey from University of Staffordshire graduate to internationally recognised sculptor is a great example of where creativity and ambition can lead. His work has captured the imagination of people across the world, bringing important stories and characters to life.

“We are immensely proud to recognise Andy with this honorary degree and I’ve no doubt he will continue to inspire the next generation of makers, creators and artists."