Nine-year-old Jack Hills’ plea to Bath businesses to sponsor an ‘Owlet’ for his school
for this summer’s Minerva’s Owls of Bath sculpture trail

It’s been a personal obsession since he was knee-high to a grasshopper and with his bedroom jam packed with owl toys, owl paintings, owl books and owl games, nine-year-old owl fan, Jack Hills, was over the moon when he heard about the latest Owls of Bath sculpture trail, landing in Bath this summer.

Upon learning that the owls he loves were going to help local charities, Jack hoped that his school, Weston All Saints Primary, would be able to sponsor one of the smaller ‘owlets’ for him and his fellow pupils to decorate.  However, his hopes were dashed when it was found that there wasn’t enough funding available.

Now, the owl-mad school boy is hoping that a Bath business or group of businesses will come forward to sponsor an Owlet for the school so that he and his friends can play a part in Bath’s big summer event and help others in the community. Owlet sponsorship can be shared amongst several businesses to make his dreams come true.

The Owls of Bath 2018 trail will see a giant flock of individually decorated owl sculptures swooping onto perches in and around Bath from the end of June for a three-month public art event to celebrate Bath’s Roman heritage, mark the 10th anniversary of the popular King Bladud’s Pigs trail and raise money for local charities, including the new RUH Cancer Centre, B&NES Young Carers Centre, the Roman Baths Archway Project and the UK Little Owl Project.

Owls were chosen as the subject of this year’s trail as the Roman Baths were dedicated to the goddess Minerva, whose symbol was the owl of wisdom. The large owls are 110cms tall and will be sponsored by a wide range of businesses and transformed into unique works of art by talented artists, designers and celebrities. The smaller Owlets that Jack would like for his school, are just for charities, community groups and schools to decorate.  They are 75cm tall, cost £950 and will belong to them after the event.

Jack’s mum, Lucy Hills, from Newbridge said: “Jack is probably Bath’s greatest owl fan … our house is full to the rafters with owl cuddly toys and all things owl related.  Jack has made his own owl movie, written owl poems and stories, has owl themed birthday cakes, owl carved pumpkins at Halloween and is never far from ‘Plop’, his favourite owl, named after it fell down the loo – needless to say it was very well washed afterwards!”

Jack would be beyond excited if some generous local businesses would club together to sponsor an owl for the school, which Jack, his friends and pupils from different years would decorate.  He has already planned which year is going to decorate which part of the owl!

Businesses and charities interested in sponsoring an Owlet for Jack and his school have been asked to get in touch with Owls of Bath organisers as soon as possible as sculpture numbers are limited. Sponsors will benefit from ‘feel-good’ stories in the media and make one of the UK’s greatest owl fans very happy indeed.  Owl sponsors will also help to bring thousands of people to visit the city, boosting local trade and bringing smiles to the faces of owl fans of all ages.

Megan Witty, organiser of the Minerva Owls of Bath 2018 comments:

“There is a lot of pressure on resources at the moment and not all schools will be able to sponsor an owlet, so we’d be delighted if a local business could kindly sponsor an Owlet for Jack and his school.

Of course the main aim of the event is to bring colour, fun and art to the streets and give children and owl fans of all ages a fantastic free activity for nearly three months this summer.  A free Owl Education Pack with lots of ideas for owl-related activities will be available to download from the website shortly and mini paint-your-own owls will be available once the trail starts at the end of June, so everyone can be involved in one way or another.”

If anyone would like to sponsor an Owlet for Jack’s school or to download Owl or Owlet Sponsorship packs, visit the Minerva’s Owls website at www.minervasowls.org or contact the Owl team at sponsors@minervasowls.org .  You can also follow the flock @OwlsofBath on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

 

 

 

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