Ipswich Big Hoot rounds off with £163,590 auction for St Elizabeth Hospice
An art trail in Suffolk rounded off with an auction that raised £163,590 for people who live with life-changing illnesses.
Ipswich's Big Hoot event, which began on June 19, was closed with its ornately-decorated owls going under the hammer at the town hall yesterday in aid of St Elizabeth Hospice.
One bird was sold to a woman undergoing treatment at the hospice.
Belinda Logan said she wanted to help support the charity, with her family bidding on her behalf as she was too poorly to attend.
Her bid of £1,600 secured her the 'Feeling Hoot, Hoot, Hoot' bird.
She added: "I only have a short amount of time left but I wanted to leave a legacy for my family and to show our gratitude to the phenomenal hospice team.
"Anything we ask for the hospice team deliver. They have taken the fear out of what is a very scary time."
The event, which attracted thousands of visitors to the town, saw 50 owls, painted by various local and national artists, take to the streets in a free art trail.
One bird, modelled on Ipswich Town Football Club, known as 'Towny Owl' was even painted by a hospice nurse - and it sold for £15,000.
It was the third trail brought to Ipswich by the hospice, in partnership with Wild in Art, following Elmer's Big Parade in 2019, and Pigs gone Wild in 2016.
All 50 owls were sold at the auction.
St Elizabeth Hospice's Celia Joseph said the entire event was a hoot, and thanked the public for helping them raise money for vulnerable people.
She added: "We are so grateful for the warm welcome the Ipswich community gave our hoots, throughout the summer, and we would like to say a massive thank you to all the people and organisations who supported and engaged with the trail.
"All the awareness and funds raised, by the whole trail and the auction, will make such a difference to the hospice, as we continue to develop our services to support more people living with progressive and life limiting illnesses."
St Elizabeth Hospice supports people in Ipswich, East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney.
