Latest news with #TheGrandAppeal


BBC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Bristol in Pictures: Harbour Festival and Gromit Unleashed 3
As far as festivals go, this is one of the biggest weekends in the Harbour Festival has returned, bringing the usual ships, live music, water displays, food markets and Gromit Unleashed 3 trail continues to delight visitors and residents alike, and we are all feeling a little less hot under the collar now the heatwave is was also time for one more dance at Motion as the legendary club closed in its current location near Temple usual, this gallery celebrates award winners and interesting events in and around Bristol, which this week means penguins in a care home and motoring apprenticeships in Bedminster. They've bean busy: An array of colourful and unusual home-made crafts took part in Saturday's cardboard boat race as part of the Bristol Harbour Festival. Tracking them down: The 53 sculptures which are part of the Gromit Unleashed 3 trail are proving popular as both city residents and visitors try and spot them all. The trail will be with us until 31 August and the sculptures will then be auctioned off in aid of The Grand Appeal, Bristol Children's Hospital charity. One more time: Saturday was an emotional time for fans of legendary Bristol nightclub Motion as it held the last event in its current location. Some of the world's biggest DJs have played the venue over the past 20 years. Hot stuff: Can it really be only a week ago the city was sweltering in temperatures above 30C? The weather has been a bit less dramatic since then. Hottest ticket in town: Seats have remained hard to come by as Moulin Rouge continues its run at the Bristol Hippodrome, a run that comes to an end on 9 August. Pick up a penguin: Residents at Avon Valley Care Home had a memorable experience as penguins and monkeys were brought in for them to hold, feed and stroke. Coming soon: Bristol artist Alex Lucas has been hard at work creating a pond-inspired artwork which will be unveiled this week in Quaker's Friars in the city centre. The project, in collaboration with creative producers Bakehouse, will be finished just in time for the school holidays. Fast rise: Fairfield High School pupil Isla is making waves in the world of dance, scoring highly in the national freestyle competition held in Stoke-on-Trent recently, despite only taking up dancing in 2021. The kettle's on: Independent Bristol business the Double Puc Cafe has been chosen as the food and drink provider for Crescent, a new development in the heart of Bristol's Temple Quarter. Top of the class: Bedminster-based S&B Academy, which opened in 1972 and now offers apprenticeships in Bristol and nationwide, won training provider of the year at the Prestige Awards, which were held at Ashton Gate Stadium.


BBC News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Teens recall Gromit Unleashed trail memories 12 years on
Teenagers who grew up with the Gromit Unleashed trails in Bristol have been reminiscing on the latest version of the charity project, 12 years after it all completed the first and second trails as young children and have returned to relive special memories with the latest installation. Seventeen-year-old Naomi, who was five years old in 2013, the year of the first Gromit trail, said: "Because I'd done previous trials, it's a sentimental walk down memory lane."The sculptures will be in place across Bristol until 31 August before they are auctioned off later this year in aid of The Grand Appeal, Bristol Children's Hospital charity. Barney was only just tall enough to touch Gromit's nose when he took part in the first more than 6ft tall, the 15-year-old dwarves the famous beagle and said he still loves collecting models of the Aardman characters. "I don't think you ever grow out of these characters really because you've been seeing them since such a young age, it was one of the first things I was really properly into," he said."When the first trail went up in 2013, I was three years old and I remember being really excited because I'd watched all the Wallace and Gromit films," he added."We decided as a family it would be nice to go out and hunt them all down." Brothers Leo and Hugh both remember doing previous trails as a family, as they have a special connection to The Grand began fundraising for the charity after their sister, Lydia, died of a heart condition and have since raised £65, was two when he went on his first Gromit trail with his dad, said: "I think the Wallace and Gromit trails are great fun because it gets you to places you wouldn't usually go to usually."Hugh added: "I think the Grand Appeal is amazing because it helps people." Anna Hitchcock, head of commercial at The Grand Appeal, said: "Gromit is really important to lots of people in Bristol and the character pulls people in."They've taken it [the trail] to their hearts, they want to collect the figurines and then do it again the next time."Something about the trail is about getting back to basics, going out with the family in the good weather and you get to explore Bristol and spend quality time together."


North Wales Chronicle
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Steam train brings Wallace & Gromit sculptures to Bristol for summer arts trail
The heritage train was loaded with a dozen unique character sculptures and driven by Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park to mark the start of Gromit Unleashed 3. The sculpture trail is a joint initiative by The Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children's Hospital Charity, and multi-award winning independent studio Aardman. The harbour railway train was greeted by school children before one of the sculptures was lifted onto the harbour's heritage cranes and another sent off to its summer location onboard Bristol's former fire-boat, the Pyronaut. Over the coming days, all 53 sculptures will be delivered to their trail locations, throughout the city of Bristol and beyond ahead of next Monday's launch. Joining Park's two sculpture designs were creations by Sir Paul McCartney, Pixar, Lucasfilm, Richard Curtis, Jorge R Gutierrez and Peter Lord. 'It's amazing to see such imagination and originality from the artists taking part in our trail this summer,' Park said. 'I've had the privilege of watching the work of such talented creators coming together all in support of a great cause – The Grand Appeal. 'I look forward to a summer of Gromiteering around Bristol and beyond this summer.' The Gromit Unleashed 3 trail will run from June 30 to August 31. The trail will be followed by The Greatest Dog Show on Earth exhibition before all the sculptures are auctioned to raise money for The Grand Appeal. Nicola Masters, director of The Grand Appeal, added: 'It's a cracking day to unleash our 2025 sculptures today – setting the wheels in motion for a grand day out the whole city can enjoy. 'Each sculpture has been brought to life through the magic of film, fables, tales and folklore – a dazzling celebration of storytelling (and) imagination. 'A star-studded spectacle that brings glitz, glamour and a touch of movie magic to the trail.' Gromit Unleashed 3 is now the fourth sculpture trail by The Grand Appeal and Aardman Animations. It builds on the success of Gromit Unleashed, Shaun in the City, and Gromit Unleashed 2.

Leader Live
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Steam train brings Wallace & Gromit sculptures to Bristol for summer arts trail
The heritage train was loaded with a dozen unique character sculptures and driven by Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park to mark the start of Gromit Unleashed 3. The sculpture trail is a joint initiative by The Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children's Hospital Charity, and multi-award winning independent studio Aardman. The harbour railway train was greeted by school children before one of the sculptures was lifted onto the harbour's heritage cranes and another sent off to its summer location onboard Bristol's former fire-boat, the Pyronaut. Over the coming days, all 53 sculptures will be delivered to their trail locations, throughout the city of Bristol and beyond ahead of next Monday's launch. Joining Park's two sculpture designs were creations by Sir Paul McCartney, Pixar, Lucasfilm, Richard Curtis, Jorge R Gutierrez and Peter Lord. 'It's amazing to see such imagination and originality from the artists taking part in our trail this summer,' Park said. 'I've had the privilege of watching the work of such talented creators coming together all in support of a great cause – The Grand Appeal. 'I look forward to a summer of Gromiteering around Bristol and beyond this summer.' The Gromit Unleashed 3 trail will run from June 30 to August 31. The trail will be followed by The Greatest Dog Show on Earth exhibition before all the sculptures are auctioned to raise money for The Grand Appeal. Nicola Masters, director of The Grand Appeal, added: 'It's a cracking day to unleash our 2025 sculptures today – setting the wheels in motion for a grand day out the whole city can enjoy. 'Each sculpture has been brought to life through the magic of film, fables, tales and folklore – a dazzling celebration of storytelling (and) imagination. 'A star-studded spectacle that brings glitz, glamour and a touch of movie magic to the trail.' Gromit Unleashed 3 is now the fourth sculpture trail by The Grand Appeal and Aardman Animations. It builds on the success of Gromit Unleashed, Shaun in the City, and Gromit Unleashed 2.


The Independent
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Steam train brings Wallace & Gromit sculptures to Bristol for summer arts trail
A steam train loaded with sculptures of Wallace, Gromit, Feathers McGraw and Wallace's invention Norbot has made its way into Bristol to promote a new arts trail. The heritage train was loaded with a dozen unique character sculptures and driven by Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park to mark the start of Gromit Unleashed 3. The sculpture trail is a joint initiative by The Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children's Hospital Charity, and multi-award winning independent studio Aardman. The harbour railway train was greeted by school children before one of the sculptures was lifted onto the harbour's heritage cranes and another sent off to its summer location onboard Bristol's former fire-boat, the Pyronaut. Over the coming days, all 53 sculptures will be delivered to their trail locations, throughout the city of Bristol and beyond ahead of next Monday's launch. Joining Park's two sculpture designs were creations by Sir Paul McCartney, Pixar, Lucasfilm, Richard Curtis, Jorge R Gutierrez and Peter Lord. 'It's amazing to see such imagination and originality from the artists taking part in our trail this summer,' Park said. 'I've had the privilege of watching the work of such talented creators coming together all in support of a great cause – The Grand Appeal. 'I look forward to a summer of Gromiteering around Bristol and beyond this summer.' The Gromit Unleashed 3 trail will run from June 30 to August 31. The trail will be followed by The Greatest Dog Show on Earth exhibition before all the sculptures are auctioned to raise money for The Grand Appeal. Nicola Masters, director of The Grand Appeal, added: 'It's a cracking day to unleash our 2025 sculptures today – setting the wheels in motion for a grand day out the whole city can enjoy. 'Each sculpture has been brought to life through the magic of film, fables, tales and folklore – a dazzling celebration of storytelling (and) imagination. 'A star-studded spectacle that brings glitz, glamour and a touch of movie magic to the trail.' Gromit Unleashed 3 is now the fourth sculpture trail by The Grand Appeal and Aardman Animations. It builds on the success of Gromit Unleashed, Shaun in the City, and Gromit Unleashed 2.