A LEADING council chief hopes a giraffe-themed art trail will encourage people to explore Worcester this summer.
Coun Adrian Gregson, leader of Worcester City Council, was speaking in relation to Worcester Stands Tall – a 10-week public art trail set to take the city by storm later this year.
The city council has sponsored an eight-foot giraffe sculpture, set to stand alongside 30 others through the city streets from July 9th to September 16th.
Each sculpture will be clothed in artwork and auctioned after the trail to raise money for the St Richard’s Hospice Build 2020 Appeal.
Coun Gregson said: “The giraffes are obviously novel and unusual; they are very eye-catching and will help to get people moving around different parts of the city.”
He was joined by Coun Louis Stephen, Leader of Worcester’s Green Party.
“The City Council is proud to support St Richard’s Hospice – a charity which has brought support and relief to so many local people through the darkest days of their lives,” said Coun Stephen.
Children from schools across the county are getting involved in the project too – with many painting smaller, giraffe calf sculptures to go on display during the trail.
The 23 calves will wind through Crowngate Shopping Centre in Worcester, before they are returned to the schools which decorated them.
Sara Matthews, Worcester Stands Tall Project Manager, said: “Our trail is all about championing Worcester and the wider county – so to have the City Council involved is just fantastic.
“Our beautiful giraffe sculptures will be carefully placed throughout the city, highlighting all the best spots to visit.
“We can’t wait to see all the positive effects our trail brings to Worcester – from attracting more tourists, to raising the city’s profile nationally.”
The money raised at the Worcester Stands Tall auction in October will contribute to the St Richard’s Build 2020 Appeal.
The appeal aims to raise the final £1.4m needed to build a bigger hospice, enabling more patients and families to be cared for in Worcestershire.
The total cost for expanding and redeveloping the existing building in Wildwood Drive, Worcester, is £5.3m. For more information about Build 2020 visit www.strichards.org.uk/build2020
Worcester Stands Tall is a Wild in Art project, brought to the city by St Richard’s Hospice.
To get involved with Worcester Stands Tall call 01905 763963 and ask for Sara Matthews, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.worcesterstandstall.co.uk
