Captain Tom and the Big Trunk Trail
Keech Hospice Care is delighted to reveal that one of its Big Trunk Trail herd has been decorated in tribute to Captain Sir Tom Moore. ‘Inspiring Hope’ is joining more than seventy other beautifully sculpted and painted elephants on the biggest public art trail Bedfordshire has ever seen. The trail trumpets into Luton’s parks and landmarks on 10 July and is Keech’s present to the town as it celebrates thirty years of care.
Keech CEO, Liz Searle, says, ‘It’s a great honour for everyone at Keech Hospice Care to have one of our elephants dedicated to the memory and achievements of Captain Sir Tom, and we’re especially grateful to his family and The Captain Tom Foundation for allowing us to use his likeness in this way. He’s the biggest fundraiser of them all and his achievements will never be forgotten. We can only continue our work thanks to the tireless fundraising of all our wonderful supporters out in the community and I hope they, and all those who have supported The Captain Tom Foundation see ‘Inspiring Hope’ and The Big Trunk Trail as a big thank you to all of them for their never-ending support.’
Another name for a herd of elephants is a memory and Keech and The Captain Tom Foundation hope that, as well as sharing fond memories of Captain Sir Tom, visiting his elephant on the trail will inspire hope and ensure his message becomes a lasting legacy.
People have already begun sharing their own fond recollections of the care and support Keech Hospice Care has provided for their families over three decades by emailing them to memories@keech.org for sharing on social media during the trail.
Captain Sir Tom’s daughter, Hannah, says, ‘The Captain Tom Foundation is pleased to partner with Keech Hospice Care on The Big Trunk Trail. Our shared values of legacy and memory are the perfect fit and the fact that this event is in Bedfordshire, where our family lives, makes it even more special. My father’s mission was to inspire hope where it is needed most and it would have been his wish that when people visit ‘Inspiring Hope’, their memories of him will inspire hope for future generations.’
When the trail goes live on 10 July, people will be able to visit ‘Inspiring Hope’ at Luton Town Hall. They’ll be able to find Captain Sir Tom’s elephant, along with all the other gorgeous, sculptured elephants, in this free-to-visit event using a specially created map which they can download from the Keech Connect, Big Trunk Trail App; printed maps will also be available from a host of places in the town.
With so many elephants to visit, and lots of fun to be had on the trail, families will be able to have some lovely days out this summer, and also take advantage of the offers and digital fun & games linked to the elephants.
As part of this unforgettable experience, there will also be the chance for people to own an elephant of their own when the trail comes to an end in October. The large elephant sculptures are being auctioned on 11 November, with all the proceeds helping Keech Hospice Care continue its vital work, caring for adults in Luton and south Bedfordshire and children from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes with life-limiting and terminal illnesses. The funds raised by the sale of ‘Inspiring Hope’ will be split between Keech and The Captain Tom Foundation.
The elephant sculptures have been produced by Wild in Art, a leading producer of public art events. Charlie Langhorne, Managing Director and Co-founder at Wild in Art, says, ‘We’ve had some pretty amazing designs painted on our animal sculptures over the years produced by many incredibly talented artists, but it’s a real thrill to think one of them is going to commemorate someone so important to everyone as Captain Sir Tom. It’s a great honour.’
Love Luton, the partnership of local organisations passionate about the town, is the trail’s Project Presenting Partner. Chair of the group, Linsey Frostick, says, ‘The Captain Tom Foundation’s ‘Inspiring Hope’ elephant will make a wonderful addition to the herd and everyone in Luton will be so proud to be associated with his memory and his legacy.’
For more details about The Big Trunk Trail please visit The Big Trunk Trail website at www.bigtrunktrail.co.uk or follow the herd on social media @BigTrunkTrail, #BigTrunkTrail.
Image: Big Trunk Trail, Hannah Ingram-Moore and Liz Searle Keech CEO with Inspiring Hope, © Keech Hospice Care