We are delighted to be working with a range of sponsors from local and national business, across a range of sectors, all helping us to deliver a trail that we hope our region will be proud to be part of.
Today, we want to give a special shout-out out to our Headline Trail Partner, who has thrown their support behind Shaun the Sheep on the Tyne and are fully on board with our mission, to bring fun, excitement and quality time to people from across the region and beyond this summer.
Newcastle City Council are our headline trail partner and are gearing up for a summer of fun, as a herd of 45 big and 70 little Shaun the Sheep sculptures take over the city centre and surrounding areas.
Jim Mawdsley, Principal Advisor for Events and Culture at Newcastle City Council, said:
“Previous trails have been spectacular, offering an excellent summer activity for families across the region, and I expect Shaun the Sheep on the Tyne to be no different.
“We’re really proud to be sponsoring this summer’s art trail for an organisation that does such wonderful work in our city. They are there for people in extremely difficult circumstances providing the best possible care and support, and they play a key role in the wider community as well.”
Newcastle Council will be working with local community groups The Bostey and FAR Centre and artists Tommy Anderson and Bethan Laker, to design and decorate some special sculptures which will be part of the trail but won’t be sold at auction. This allows them to stay here in the city for people to enjoy for years to come. Workshops have already taken place, and from the photos and videos we’ve seen, the young people were full of ideas and inspiration!
Young people who attend The Bostey youth centre in Newcastle worked with artist Tommy on their design around the theme ‘Best Summer Ever.’ The children have thought about what the best summer ever means to them and they will use rub down transfers to bring their ideas to life, using Shaun as their canvas.
Stacey Davidson, Youth Leader at The Bostey said:
“The session was brilliant, all the young people participated within the session and give Tommy loads of ideas for their summer holidays. Tommy was great with the young people; I thoroughly enjoyed the session and had a go at the lettering myself. I can’t wait to see some examples and work with Tommy again.”
The Young people who attend youth groups at FAR (Fenham Association of Residents) got creative with artists Bethan Laker, and although their theme is the same as The Bostey’s, their finished work of art will be very different. They are working on a surprise sculpture, different from all of the others on the trail but still inspired by and featuring Shaun the Sheep. No spoilers for now though!
Mark from FAR added:
“The young people involved were inspired, excited and motivated to be working on this project!”
We can’t wait to see the result of their workshops.
Flock to Newcastle for ‘the best summer ever!’
Newcastle Council will open up the Civic Centre doors to trail visitors over the summer, providing a central location for a Shaun on the Tyne HQ and a venue for the finale events at the end of the trail. The Civic Centre will be host to a range of events, including the Farewell Weekend and Grand Auction, and a pop up ‘Hub’ will be located there throughout the trail, where you can pick up merchandise, maps and join in with activities.
As well as raising funds for St Oswald’s Hospice, Shaun the Sheep on the Tyne is a special way to thank our fantastically supportive community, for continuing to be there for St Oswald’s patients and families, throughout a challenging few years. Shaun the Sheep on the Tyne is free to participate in and accessible for all and we hope that as many people as possible will in the flock and enjoy ten weeks of spotting cheeky little sheep around Newcastle.
Thank you to our local council for their support and vision and helping to make our trail even more baa-rilliant! Now it’s time to get prepared to get out and about in the fresh air, enjoy our vibrant and beautiful city, discover new places and make memories with our friends and families.
