The Great Tail Trail has come to an end, and it was shell-ebrated in style this weekend at the Bournemouth International Centre!
The Farewell Weekend saw all 88 of the beautiful mermaid tail sculptures displayed together, so BCP residents could appreciate their glory for one last time together.
All 88 Mermaid Tails Together
The event raised an estimated £8,000 for Julia’s House Children’s Hospice Charity, as more than 2,000 visitors came to capture one final selfie with their favourite tail. As well as all the wonderful sculptures on display, visitors joined in on an array of fun activities and games, met the artists, and even had the opportunity to paint their own mini mermaid tail!
Laura Maidment, Public Fundraising Manager for Julia’s House, said “It was wonderful to see all the tails together for the very last time at the Farewell Weekend. We’d like to thank everyone who took part in the trail or joined us at the Bournemouth International Centre – you have helped to make The Great Tail Trail a truly memorable event.
Each one of the giant mermaid tail sculptures has been beautifully designed and painted by a tail-ented and acclaimed artist from across Dorset, as well as further afield. These one-off artworks have been a delight to visitors of The Great Tail Trail throughout Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole over the past few months, and now they’re going under the hammer!
The tails are now looking for their forever home, so on Friday 20th June, these incredible sculptures are being put up for auction to raise vital funds for Julia’s House. Charlie Ross, professional auctioneer and presenter of BBC TV’s Bargain Hunt, will be leading the auction in the idyllic surroundings of The Italian Villa at Compton Acres.
“We’d love it if every single sculpture could find a new home – they are all beautiful and unique pieces of art that deserve to be pride of place somewhere special,” says Laura.
“All the money raised at the auction will help Julia’s House continue its lifeline of care for seriously ill children across Dorset and bring support and comfort to their families – there’s no better reason to place your bids!”
How to Bid:
If you want one of these sculptures to stand pride of place in your home, then you can join the auction either in person or online. The in person auction offers a VIP experience, including a welcome drink, barbecue, and front row seats. Tickets are priced at £39.50 per person, with doors opening at 6:00pm. Spaces are limited, so head over to www.juliashouse.org/auction_registration to secure your place!
Don’t worry about missing out if you can’t attend the auction in person, as Julia’s House will be live-streaming the event from 7:30pm. You can bid online or simply enjoy watching the tails find their forever home! Bidding has already opened, so you can dive in and place your bids now by visiting www.juliashouse.org/auction_registration
For more details visit www.greattailtrail.co.uk