12:00pm Thursday 9th July 2009
By Ben Ellery
A MAN from Basingstoke who wrote a book about calculators is to be put on a pedestal in the centre of London.
Pepe Tozzo, of Solent Lane, in Hatch Warren, has beaten off thousands of people to be selected to go on to the empty Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square as part of an art installation.
Every hour, 24 hours a day, for 100 days without a break, different people will get on the plinth to do whatever they like.
The project, called One & Other, which began on Monday, is the brainchild of sculptor Antony Gormley, who was responsible for the Angel of the North.
Mr Tozzo, a 42-year-old IT specialist and author, said he will take to the plinth next week with a megaphone and his fold-up bike to encourage people to sponsor his cycle ride for cerebral palsy charity, Scope.
He said: “I’m really excited to be one of the first people to go on the plinth but I’m also a little bit nervous as I might get a tomato to the head.
“When I told friends and family they weren’t really surprised because I’m known for being a bit of a loon. They reacted the same when I told them I was writing a book about calculators.
“I’ve seen some of the other people taking part and they were all right but I really wanted to do something that would have a positive impact for people.”
Mr Tozzo was randomly chosen from 13,000 entries and will be one of 640 to appear on the plinth this month. His hour will be next Wednesday from 10am and he is arranging for Scope fundraisers to collect cash at the square while he is there.
In September, he is taking part in the Folding Bike Challenge by cycling 241 miles from the London Eye to the Eiffel Tower in four days. To sponsor him visit justgiving.co.uk/pepetozzo.
Applications for the plinth are open until September 1 and places will be allocated in a further three phases.
Altogether 2,400 participants will be chosen at random by computer algorithm. The population of the UK will be represented proportionally by choosing a certain number of people from each region.
Television channel Sky Arts and website oneandother.co.uk will broadcast a 24-hour live feed of all the action.
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