New free sculpture trail launches in Swindon
Here's a look at the trail
A sculpture trail of 72 individually-painted dogs is opening in Swindon this weekend.
From 15 July - 3 September The Big Dog Art Trail, featuring giant Swindogs and smaller Swinpups, will be dotted around the town on a 16-mile trail.
The trail features 30 Swindogs, with stunning designs created by national and local artists, and 42 Swinpups created by local schools, youth and community groups.
The unique designs include a giant hot dog, a Swindog featuring 100s of colourful butterflies, and another covered entirely in pennies.
The Swindogs have all been sponsored and paid for by the local business community and Swindon Borough Council has supported the trail’s Learning Programme for schools.
The trail is a community project presented by Julia’s House and Wild in Art to raise vital funds for the Wiltshire-based children’s hospice charity, which provides care and support for seriously ill local children and their families at its hospice in Devizes or in families’ homes.
Children’s cookery author Annabel Karmel MBE is a long-standing supporter of Julia’s House and patron of the charity. Having lost her first child at a young age, Annabel understands the value of respite in times of heartache and stress.
She said: “My three-month-old daughter died from encephalitis in hospital, but I would have liked to have had somewhere like the Julia’s House children’s hospice to come and take her.
“In those times when you feel so desperate, to have a room where you can be with your child when they’re coming to the end of their life, would have been very comforting. The work Julia’s House does to support children with life limiting conditions and their families is amazing and I urge everyone to support The Big Dog Art Trail and this fantastic cause.”
When the trail ends in September, the complete pack of Swindogs and Swinpups will be brought together for a farewell weekend on 16-17 September at Swindon’s historic STEAM Museum, before they are auctioned on 19 September. All money raised will go to Julia’s House, which relies almost entirely on public funding to provide its lifeline of care to local families.
Mike Bartlett, Deputy CEO at Julia’s House, said: “We have been working on the trail for over a year with local businesses, the council, local and nationally renowned artists and over 40 schools – it has been an amazing community partnership. We’re so excited to be revealing all 72 sculptures, including our own Julia’s House Swindog, which has been created by the children at the Wiltshire hospice, together with local artist Hannah Dosanjh.
“It’s going to be a great free event for everyone in Swindon this summer and a big visitor draw to the town. We’re so grateful to everyone who has got behind the trail and helped to make it happen. The money it will raise will make a huge difference to the life changing care we provide to seriously ill children and families in Swindon and across Wiltshire.”