Meet Henry VIII in Lichfield! Our St Giles Hospice’s March of the Elephants sculpture is unveiled at Three Spires Shopping Centre

Meet Henry VIII in Lichfield! Our St Giles Hospice’s March of the Elephants sculpture is unveiled at Three Spires Shopping Centre

THE wait is over! A herd of elephant sculptures has popped up in prime locations across Lichfield, Tamworth and Sutton Coldfield, including Richard Winterton Auctioneers' sponsored Henry VIII design.

Created by artist Donna Newman, the Henry VIII elephant was picked by staff due to our connection with history and Henry's brilliant, memorable features.

He is one of 30 large elephant sculptures and more than 40 mini-elephants in St Giles Hospice’s March of the Elephants arts trail.

Over the next 10 weeks, the spectacular elephant sculptures will stand pride of place across streets, parks and open spaces ready for visitors to uncover, creating a visual feast for art enthusiasts and families alike.

Richard Winterton with our Henry VIII elephant at the launch of March of the Elephants at St Giles Hospice.

Each gentle giant has been uniquely adorned by a mix of local and national artists, from well-known favourites to newly emerging talent.

The smaller elephants of the herd have been lovingly crafted by local schools and community groups, adding an extra touch of charm to this mammoth community project.

Richard Winterton Auctioneers' Henry VIII elephant is now turning heads in Lichfield's Three Spires Shopping Centre.

Following the trail’s conclusion, the sculptures will be auctioned off on September 24, 2024, by Lichfield family firm Richard Winterton Auctioneers and the auction catalogue can be viewed online here.

The proceeds will help St Giles continue to provide excellent care for local people, and their loved ones, living with terminal illnesses.

Richard Winterton Auctioneers picked the Henry VIII design due to our connection with history and the sculpture's memorable features.

Auctioneer Richard Winterton said: "What an honour it is to be supporting St Giles Hospice’s March of the Elephants arts trail and we were absolutely delighted to be able to bag Donna Newman's brilliant Henry VIII design.

"Seeing the herd together in all their splendour at the launch event was a fab spectacle and it's super to see the elephants out and about in Lichfield, Tamworth and Sutton Coldfield.

"We hope people love Henry as much as we do and if you take a selfie with him, please do tag us in on socials."

Donna Newman's Henry VIII elephant is one of 30 large sculptures in the trail.

To help visitors navigate the trail, an interactive app has been launched to help trail-goers find each elephant and tick them off their list as they go.

The app also offers exclusive rewards linked to the areas people are visiting.

Download the app for £1.99 from the App Store or Google Play (proceeds will go towards the charity) or pick up a trail map from their charity shops or Lichfield Maize Maze.