March of the Elephants Trail

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Mon 01 Jul 2024 - Sun 08 Sep 2024

A 'herd' of colourful elephants is to take over parts of the West Midlands and Staffordshire this summer - while also raising much-needed funds for a local charity. St Giles Hospice , which provides services and accommodation for people with life-limiting conditions and illnesses, has announced the launch of March of the Elephants , a spectacular public art sculpture trail due to take place from July 1 to September 2024.

March of the Elephants will see St Giles Hospice, which is based in Whittington, near Lichfield, Staffordshire, team up with event experts Wild in Art. They have been delivering world class public art events across the globe for more than ten years. The many striking, coloured elephant sculptures will be showcased in various locations across Lichfield, Tamworth and Sutton Coldfield over the course of the summer.



The event aims to celebrate the vibrancy and creativity that the St Giles community has to offer, as well as demonstrating the depth of variety of talent across the region. Charlie Langhorne, Managing Director at Wild in Art, said: “We’re excited to be working with St Giles Hospice to parade the elephants across the streets, parks and open spaces of Lichfield, Tamworth and Sutton Coldfield. This is a fantastic opportunity for artists to add to their own portfolio and support a great cause by raising vital funds for St Giles Hospice.”

More than 60 elephant sculptures will bring colour and joy to specially selected locations within Lichfield, Tamworth and Sutton Coldfield for ten weeks before being auctioned off to raise funds for the hospice, which also operates another centre in Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham.



Decorated by local and national artists, designers and illustrators, the elephants will form an ‘unforgettable’ trail of colourful sculptures for visitors to discover and enjoy. The free public art event is set to benefit the whole community, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to join in the fun. Andrew Harkness, Chief Executive at St Giles Hospice, said: “We are so excited to be working with Wild in Art to bring this trail to Lichfield, Tamworth and Sutton Coldfield. The trail will bring tourism and economic benefits to the region, put smiles on people’s faces, promote wellbeing and exploration, and raise vital funds for St Giles Hospice.”

Emma Yates, Associate Director of Income Generation at St Giles Hospice, added: "We're confident March of the Elephants will help to increase footfall for local businesses and boost the regional economy - whilst bringing with it fun and adventure for families and friends to enjoy together."



St Giles said it was there to help anyone living with an incurable illness, as well as caring for someone who is, or grieving over the death of a loved one. To find out more about the hospice generally, visit: https://www.stgileshospice.com/
More information about the March of the Elephants sculpture trail can be found by visiting: www.marchoftheelephants.co.uk



#art
#community
#charity
#outdoor

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