Sir John Lawton, President of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, will be launching the sponsorship drive to recruit East Yorkshire businesses to get involved with Puffins Galore!
Sir John explained “Puffins Galore! will encourage people to visit, explore and enjoy our beautiful coast and at the same time get to know more about the unique wildlife of the area. YWT is delighted to be associated with this remarkable project and we are all looking forward to 2022 – the year of the puffin!”. Sir John will be talking about how Puffins Galore! can raise awareness of the threats to wildlife of our coasts and seas.
He will be joined by Clive Rowe-Evans, Chair of Yorkshire Coast BID who will explain the tourist impact that the project will have and its benefits for East Coast small businesses
The Business Sponsorship Launch will be held at Bridlington Spa, 3pm on Wednesday 17 November. Businesses throughout the area have been invited to attend and learn more about the project which aims to increase visitor numbers to the East Yorkshire coastal resorts.
Puffins Galore! is organised by the team that was responsible for the Larkin’s Toads of 2010 and Amy Johnson’s Moths of 2016, both big popular successes and still attracting attention across Hull and the East Riding many years later. Come May 2022, expect to see at least 40 colourful Puffins with unique artists’ designs in locations from Flamborough and Bempton in the north to Spurn Point in the south.
One business that knows all about the impact of these animal sculpture trails is Jim Harris, Manager of St Stephen’s Shopping Centre in Hull. He commented “As sponsors of an Amy Johnson Moth and a Larkin Toad, we have seen at first hand the amazing impact these animal sculptures have on our visitor numbers – Puffins Galore! will be a very popular attraction for all the family.”
At the launch we will be announcing some of the first businesses to get on board as early sponsorship adopters of Puffin Galore!
A full size 1.5ms tall 2D artist decorated Puffin will be revealed at the event providing excellent photo and filming opportunities. Further images of artists designs are also available on request.
The key partner of Puffins Galore! is Yorkshire Coast BID and the project partner is East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
Additional Puffins Galore! project details:
The project aims to harness the power of Puffins to increase tourism along the East Yorkshire coast. With its brightly coloured bill, striking black and white plumage, orange legs and comical waddle, the Puffin is a seabird beloved by many – and a big draw for visitors to the coast around Flamborough. Puffins Galore! will use this special magnetism to encourage even more visitors to the whole of the East Yorkshire coast.
2022 will be the Year of the Puffin for East Yorkshire tourism, when a unique parade of 40 colourful, artist decorated Puffin sculptures will bring the charm of the Puffin to our coastal resorts and attractions as well as to inland towns and cities. Visitors both new and old will be encouraged to follow the trail and discover more of our magical coast as they go.
Puffins Galore! s modelled on the hugely popular A Moth for Amy and Larkin with Toads, mass public art projects which still have a legacy 5 years and 11 years on! Puffins Galore is devised by the same team that brought these two highly successful, award winning events to Hull and the East Riding.
Standing around 1.5m tall, each Puffin will be an artist decorated beacon that brings vibrancy, colour and joy to its surroundings. Puffin locations from Flamborough to Spurn Point will be carefully selected to attract visitors to less well known places as well as encouraging them to spend time tracking down Puffins around the area’s larger resorts. Wherever they land these beautiful sculptures will attract curious glances and happy smiles from visitors and residents alike.
Puffin Galore! will be launched in May 2022 and be promoted as a major attraction throughout the season. Like the Toads and Moths, it is anticipated that many of the Puffins will stay in place and provide a legacy for years to come.
Puffins Galore! will:
- Raise awareness of climate change, the importance of green energy and other environmental issues
- Increase public understanding and awareness of the Atlantic Puffin and other endangered sea and coastal wildlife
- Encourage many more visitors to East Riding coastal resorts and attractions
- Introduce new audiences to great public art
- Engage local communities in creative activities
- Provide opportunities for new art to be created
The artists’ themes
Artists will be invited to create their designs in response to one of three themes:
- Endangered wildlife of the coasts and seas
- The global warming crisis and the growth of green energy
- People and stories of the East Yorkshire coast
A Puffins Galore! map will encourage visitors and residents to discover these unique sculptures and explore the coastal resorts, villages and landscape of East Yorkshire. An illustrated guide to all the Puffins, full of Puffin facts and information about the artists, sponsors and locations will be a treasured souvenir.
Puffins Galore! will conclude in October 2022 with a Grand Puffin Sculpture Charity Auction. The proceeds will be shared amongst four selected charities:
- Hornsea Inshore Rescue
- Royal National Lifeboat Institute
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
- Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.
The cost of sponsoring a Puffin is £3,950 Sponsors will be able to choose from a wide selection of artist designed Puffins.
Key partner of Puffins Galore! – Yorkshire Coast BID
Project partner – East Riding of Yorkshire Council