Herd of elephant sculptures raises £240k for Thames Hospice

The sculptures were auctioned off during the 'Herd under the Hammer' event to support Thames Hospice <i>(Image: Supplied)</i>
The sculptures were auctioned off during the 'Herd under the Hammer' event to support Thames Hospice (Image: Supplied)
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A herd of elephant sculptures has raised more than £240,000 for charity.

Part of the 'Trunks across the Thames' public art trail, the sculptures were auctioned off during the 'Herd under the Hammer' event to support Thames Hospice.

The auction was held at De Vere Beaumont Estate on Thursday, October 15. More than 130 guests attended in person, with a further 140 bidding online.

Rachael de Caux, chief executive of Thames Hospice, said: "What an incredible evening.

"It was wonderful to see so many people come together to celebrate the extraordinary generosity that has made this project possible.

"Raising more than £240,000 at the auction alone is an amazing achievement, and we are so grateful to everyone who has played a part.

"It was a truly memorable evening, and we cannot wait to share the final fundraising total for Trunks across the Thames."

The auction featured a herd of large and miniature elephant sculptures, each individually decorated by professional artists, schools, and community groups.

It marked the finale of the nine-week art trail, which transformed streets in Slough, Windsor, Eton, and Maidenhead into a colourful outdoor gallery.

Among the standout lots was McLaren’s mini elephant sculpture 'Elenorris', signed by Lando Norris, which sold for £20,000.

The trail’s most visited sculpture, 'Stomp to Attention', fetched £12,000.

An original watercolour by author and illustrator Charlie Mackesy was also auctioned.

The evening included emotional speeches from Thames Hospice nurses Sara and Emma as they explained how the funds raised would help provide specialist care and support to patients and families.

Thames Hospice, based in Maidenhead, serves people across East Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire.

The charity provides palliative and end-of-life care for individuals aged 16 and over, as well as support for their loved ones.

A spokesperson for the hospice said: "Our vision is quality of life to the end of life, for everyone, and our purpose is to deliver compassionate, personalised care that enables people to live with dignity, comfort and choice in their preferred place of care.

"All our services are provided free of charge. However, unlike the NHS, we are not fully government funded. We receive a contribution from NHS England and other statutory bodies but rely heavily on the generosity of our local community through donations, fundraising, volunteering, and income from our charity retail stores."

Last year, Thames Hospice supported 2,614 people through its inpatient unit, hospice at home services, outpatient centre, and wellbeing programmes.

The charity needs to raise £44,000 each day to continue delivering its services.

The final fundraising total for the full Trunks across the Thames project will be announced soon.

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