HeART-felt ​art trail supports hospice care

​On Saturday June 10, the first county-wide HeART Trail by St Barnabas Hospice will be launched, which will run over the summer until September 4.

The Trail will see dozens of heart-shaped fibreglass and bespoke sculptures pop up with the theme of ‘Love Lincolnshire’, to honour not just all the beauty that the county has to offer, but also to celebrate St Barnabas Hospice as a charity at the heart of the community.

There will be 30 sculptures in total, with 20 based in Lincoln, five along the East Coast, and another five in towns where St Barnabas has a Wellbeing Centre – Louth, Boston, Grantham, Spalding, and Gainsborough.

Each sculpture was created by an artist (nicknamed ‘HeARTist’) who submitted their design for consideration. St Barnabas presented these designs to the local businesses and organisations sponsoring the Trail, who chose their favourite design to put their name to. The HeARTists then turned the concept into reality, resulting in thirty gorgeous sculptures.

Chris Wheway, chief executive at St Barnabas Hospice, said: “We are really looking forward to launching the Trail and showing local people and visitors around our wonderful county as they visit the HeARTs.

“The HeARTs are all absolutely beautiful. Some show off typically Lincolnshire sights, including the Lincoln Cathedral, Steep Hill, Boston Stump, Tattershall Castle, and the Red Arrows.

"Others honour our stunning landscape and seaside, the seals at Donna Nook, and the many animals that makeup Lincolnshire’s wildlife population.

“It’s going to be a fantastic experience walking the HeART Trail, so please do get involved when it launches on June 10!”

Handy HeART Trail guides will include a special scratch-off map and information about each sculpture and its artist.

Blank miniature pottery hearts will also be available for people of all ages to decorate with their own designs after taking inspiration from the Trail.

These items can be purchased from St Barnabas charity shops, Lincoln’s Visitor Information Centre, and the Trail’s HeART Hubs, which will be hosted across the county this summer and are listed online at www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/heart-hubs.

For the duration of the Trail, you can also find the mini trail Young at HeART at the Waterside Shopping Centre in Lincoln, where a collection of sculptures made by students of 19 schools and nurseries around the county will be on show.

Chris continued: “Each year, our charity provides high-quality, free care to over 12,000 people living with a life-limiting or terminal illness across Lincolnshire. Our services are offered in our two Hospice buildings, patients’ own homes and our Wellbeing Centres.

“We need to raise £6.5 million annually to continue providing these vital services, and we hope the HeART Trail will be a massive success with thousands of families taking part and supporting their local hospice charity.

“We would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to the businesses supporting us, all our HeARTists, local schools and their creative students, and fabulous volunteers helping us.

“If you would like to get involved by volunteering, please visit our website to see all opportunities available and how to sign up.”

St Barnabas have thanked the Trail’s Presenting Partners: Branston Ltd, Chestnut Homes, Daniel Charles Construction Ltd, Jacksons Workwear Rental Ltd and the Lincolnshire Freemasons.

Find out more about the HeART Trail or become a HeARTy volunteer by visiting www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/hearttrail.