Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007
posted July 14, 2013 03:21 AM
I am sure most members will be aware of Bristol's Aardman Animation's Wallace & Gromit. For many years the pair have been responsible for their "Grand Appeal". So far it has raised £21million. It is the only charity fund raising exclusively for the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and St. Michaels Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Bristol.)
A few weeks ago 80 five-foot high Gromit's made their appearance around Bristol (one at Paddington Station), each specially decorated on behalf of their sponsor. Even Pixar has produced a Buzz Lightyear Gromit!
Later in the year they will all be auctioned off to add funds to the pair's appeal.
Click on the link to see Gromits, and more Gromits.
posted July 15, 2013 01:14 PM
I remember how INCREDIBLY sad I was to hear that the studio that Aardman animation used to have burned down and nearly all of they're extensive archives were destroyed in that fire ... tragic!
-------------------- "All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007
posted July 15, 2013 02:45 PM
Osi It wasn't Aardman's studio that burnt down, it was a warehouse facility where a lot of their stored material was housed.
Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007
posted July 17, 2013 05:13 AM
Two of the Bristol Gromit's got vandalised, one having his ears broken off. I see on BBC West News today that they have both been repaired and are now back on display. What hooligans would desecrate such fund raising, and so enjoyable, statues?
Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007
posted April 03, 2014 02:40 AM
It was announced today that the appeal has smashed its target of £3.5M. In eighteen months the total was £3.8M made up by £2.3M for the auction of the 92 Gromit statues, and £1.5M from ongoing fundraising events. The support includes the funding of state-of-the-art equipment such as an MRI scanner, which enables scans to be done during an operation and is set to revolutionise brain surgery for babies and children.