Bournemouth Water is sponsoring a giant mermaid tail sculpture as part of the highly anticipated Great Tail Trail, joining more than 40 other local companies in supporting this exciting public art event.
The trail will run from 5 April to 1 June and encourages participants to explore the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area and engage with the artwork, all the while raising funds for Julia's House, a local children's hospice charity that provides support to families caring for children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.
Bournemouth Water’s stunning mermaid tail sculpture, designed by talented local artist Becky Dodd, will be placed at the Bournemouth International Centre during the live trail. The interactive trail invites participants to discover these beautifully painted tails around the town.
Inspired by her love of surfing and coffee, Becky's designs are full of life and personality. Becky loves breathing life into overlooked spaces by designing joyful, large scale conversation pieces and she has been appointed to paint for many local businesses.
Talking about her inspiration for the design, Becky said:
"Tattoos are such an amazing way for people to express themselves and tell their stories, so with the "Tattooed Mermaid," I wanted the design to be something everyone could relate to. I filled the mermaid with playful, whimsical illustrations and positive messages to show off her adventurous, fun-loving personality!"
For every person who visits the sculpture and logs its code on the event’s official app, Bournemouth Water will donate 25p to Julia's House.
Richard Stanbrook, Director of Drinking Water Services at Bournemouth, said:
“We're incredibly proud to be part of the Great Tail Trail and support such a fantastic initiative. The mermaid tail is a beautiful representation of our community and the creativity that exists here. It’s a great opportunity for everyone to come together, have fun, and raise money for a worthy cause like Julia’s House. We hope this brings a smile to people's faces while also helping children and families in need."
Laura Maidment, Public Fundraising Manager for Julia’s House, said:
“It's wonderful to have Bournemouth Water as one of our sculpture sponsors for The Great Tail, they are such fantastic supporters of Julia's House. Their tail, designed by the amazing local artist, Becky Dodd, is sure to be a real crowd pleaser and we hope everyone will enjoy getting out and about to view it and all the other mermaid tails that will on display across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole this spring."
To find out more, view a sneak peek of the mermaid tail or to donate to the charity, visit Great Tail Trail Sponsorship