Elmer elephant auction raises £143k for hospice

An auction selling patchwork Elmer elephants has raised thousands for a local hospice.

Artworks from Blackpool's Elmer's Big Parade raised £143,550 for Brian House Children's Hospice, in Bispham, Lancashire.

More than 40 elephants, inspired by author David McKee's much-loved children's character, of varying sizes were up for bidding at Blackpool Tower.

Kate Thompson paid £3,000 for her elephant, which she said "means everything to her".

Mrs Thompson's mother Doreen Haydock was cared for by Trinity Hospice, which runs Brian House, before she died from lymphoma in 2016.

Her husband Kieran was also supported by the hospice in his final days in 2021, before passing away at the age of 50 from liver disease.

Mrs Thompson has named her sculpture "Elaughant" and said he represents "laughing and smiling and the entertainment industry in Blackpool".

"Trinity will always hold such a special place in my heart, and Brian House is just brilliant," said Mrs Thompson, who has children Scott, 15 and Amelia, 20.

"Trinity nurses were wonderful with my mum during her cancer journey.

"Mum's favourite saying was 'laugh a minute', we laughed constantly."

The auction included artworks from Blackpool's public art trail, in a partnership between Brian House, Wild in Art and Andersen Press, which lasted eight-weeks from April to June.

The top-seller went to Elmer’s Book Bench, which raised £8,000, and bidders also raised an additional £10,000 for another bench to be made for children at Brian House.

Brian House chief executive David Houston said they were "delighted" the sculptures "fetched incredible hammer prices", giving a "lasting legacy of the fun we brought to Blackpool".

A final total for Elmer’s Big Parade Blackpool is still to be announced.

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