AN elephant sculpture has returned to the herd on a public art trail after being damaged.
Bill the Builder was the third artwork on the St Giles Hospice March of the Elephants trail to need repair following vandalism.
The latest incident, in Sutton Coldfield, follows previous damage to sculptures in Lichfield and Tamworth.
But the Whittington-based charity has now confirmed Bill the Builder has been repaired and is back on display.
Georgia Haynes, project event manager at St Giles Hospice, said:
“We are thrilled to have Bill the Builder back on the trail. His return symbolises the resilience of our community and the importance of this project for St Giles Hospice.
“We’re grateful for the outpouring of support we’ve received and the hard work of those who restored Bill to his former glory.
“We really hope we don’t find any more damaged elephants on our trail again as it is just devastating for the team who have worked so hard to bring joy over the summer holidays and also raise vital funds.
“We continue to urge the public to treat all our elephant sculptures with care and respect. These are not just beautiful works of art – they represent vital funding for end of life care in our community.”
The March of the Elephants trail, featuring 30 large sculptures and more than 40 mini-elephants decorated by local and national artists, runs until 8th September.
For more details visit www.marchoftheelephants.co.uk.
