The Team at Heart of Kent Hospice report on their Elmer initiative, bringing elephantine fundraising fun to Maidstone.
Schools out and families who head to Maidstone this summer can have a fun time discovering all the brightly coloured Elmers scattered across some fabulous locations around the town centre, along the river path and around the beautiful parks. Elmer’s Big Heart of Kent Parade is bringing a ton of colour and laughter to the area until August 22 2021.
It is the first-ever public art trail of its kind to visit Maidstone and is based on one of the world's most famous children's book characters, Elmer the Patchwork Elephant, by David McKee.
The 51 uniquely designed large Elmer sculptures have all been decorated by local and national artists, together with 31 small Elmers decorated by local schools and community groups.
A special auction will be held on Thursday the 9th of September to raise money for Heart of Kent Hospice when the 51 large Elmers will go under the hammer.
To take part in the trail, pick up a beautifully hand-illustrated map (suggested £1 donation to the Hospice) or download the free Parade app (available to download from the App Store or Google Play). Each Elmer has a unique app code that reveals some exciting rewards to download. Maps can be picked up from two town centre shops - Elmer HQ in The Mall, Fremlin’s Elephant House in Fremlin Walk and all 14 Heart of Kent Hospice charity shops, and at many other local businesses.
Elmer’s Learning Herd, which is made up of 30 small Elmer sculptures, includes one special Elmer that has been designed especially for Heart of Kent Hospice to coincide with a book published by their Hospice Social Worker, written specifically for children dealing with the loss of a loved one.
Ann-Marie Kelly, Income Generation Director at Heart of Kent Hospice said: “These are no ordinary elephants – they’re on an important mission to raise awareness and funds for Heart of Kent Hospice as we celebrate our 30th anniversary of providing specialist advice, support and outstanding care for people living with a terminal illness.”
To ensure you don’t miss out on any of the fun, visit elmermaidstone.co.uk/ Download the app at elmermaidstone.co.uk/app/
For all the latest things to see and do in the county, subscribe to Kent Life!
