The North East’s St Oswald’s Hospice art trail fundraiser is back for summer 2023 – and Newcastle-headquartered tech consultancy Opencast will be creating its very own Shaun the Sheep for people to find and locate along the way!
The art trail initiative is in support of North East charity St Oswald’s Hospice, which provides specialist care for adults, young people and children with incurable conditions, and support for family and loved ones.
At the centre of the 2023 art trail will be Aardman’s much-loved character Shaun the Sheep (pictured above, left). After first appearing in Nick Park’s 1995 Wallace & Gromit ‘A Close Shave’, Shaun went on to star in his own series, which launched on BBC One in 2007.
Next summer 50 unique Shaun the Sheep sculptures will be dotted around the Tyne region to attract people to the area – with each Shaun sculpture then being auctioned off to raise money for the hospice.
Welcoming the 2023 St Oswald’s art trail, Opencast co-founder Charlie Hoult (pictured with Shaun at the launch, above right), said: “It’s going to be baaa-rilliant! We’re delighted to be part of the flock and we’ll definitely be adding a bit of OC style to our own Shaun the Sheep. We can’t wait to get designing!”
Charlie added: “Opencast is pleased to be supporting St Oswald’s Hospice through this initiative. Our support is part of our wider commitment to supporting charities in the North East region, nationally and internationally. To date Opencast has donated close to £100,000 through its charity giving programme.”
The 2023 St Oswald’s Hospice art trail launched on Tuesday 28 June at Ouseburn City Farm in Newcastle.