Countywide HeART trail to support hospice's vital work

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.

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.

“Twenty sculptures will be based in Lincoln, with five more in Skegness and along the East Coast, and another five that can be found in towns where St Barnabas has a Wellbeing Centre - Louth, Boston, Grantham, Spalding, and Gainsborough.

“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.”

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.

For the duration of the Trail, which launches on June 10, you can also find the mini trail Young at HeART at the Waterside Shopping Centre in Lincoln.

This is a collection of sculptures made by students of nineteen schools and nurseries around the county to help young people understand the importance of supporting local hospice care, as well as providing a great collaborative educational art project for young minds.

Chris Wheway continued: “The HeART Trail will be a celebration of all things Lincolnshire and will help us raise awareness of the important support St Barnabas gives to the communities around the county.

“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.”

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.