• Swindon & Wiltshire Community champions
• Wednesday July 5 2023
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Big Dog Art Trail completes its pack of sponsors

With less than two weeks until the trail launches, The Big Dog Art Trail has completed its pack of sponsors with financial services provider OneFamily, utilities contractor CG Utilities, motor dealer Dick Lovett, renewable energy company RWE, vehicle hire company Zelf, and building materials firm Hanson UK signing up as sponsors.

On Saturday, July 15, 30 larger-than-life balloon dog sculptures will be unleashed across Swindon.

Each of the Swindog sculptures have been sponsored by local businesses, with the final few adopting their dogs in the last few weeks.

OneFamily have sponsored Phil Daniels’ sculpture, Reflecting on Swindon, which will feature on the trail at St Marks Park.

OneFamily CEO Teddy Nyahasha said” “We’re delighted to be sponsoring one of our very own Swindogs in The Big Dog Art Trail this summer.

“OneFamily has increased its foot – or should I say paw – print in Swindon considerably over the past two years, so we were keen to be a part of something so important to the town and its people.

“Helping the local community means everything to us at OneFamily, so we’re proud to be supporting Julia’s House children’s hospice, which is does some amazing work. We look forward to seeing people from across Swindon and further afield as they enjoy the trail.”

CG Utilities is one of the leading utilities contractors in the UK and they have signed up to sponsor Patches – Julia’s Hound.

The Swindog has a special meaning to the trail as it has been painted by children and staff at Julia’s House children’s hospice in Devizes, bringing to life the reason behind the trail – raising vital funds to provide a lifeline of care for the most seriously ill children and their families across Wiltshire and Dorset.

Phil Ridgwell, CG Utilities CEO, said: “Supporting our communities is a key part of the CG Utilities ethos.

“With Swindon playing an important part in our everday work – it is vital that we give back to the community whenever we can. We are proud to support the Big Dog Art Trail.”

Family-run car dealership Dick Lovett, which has been in Swindon since 1966, have also come on board as a sponsor.

They are sponsoring Swindon artist Hannah Dosanjh and her Swindog Tails of Swindon, which has been seen across the town as part of the promotion of the trail and will now be located at STEAM Museum.

Renewable energy company, RWE, are also powering the pack as they have signed up to sponsor Kitty Shepherd’s Puppy Love Swindog.

RWE is the largest power producer in the UK, and a leading renewable generator supplying around 15 per cent of UK electricity with a diverse operational portfolio of onshore wind, offshore wind, hydro, biomass and gas.

The bold a bright sculpture will take pride of place outside of The Old Town Library and Arts Centre during the trail.

The trail wouldn’t be possible without the support of local businesses who have helped with the logistics of moving 30 life-size sculptures to Swindon.

Zelf are a family-run removals, self-storage and vehicle hire company based in Devizes who operate throughout Wiltshire.

They have provided the trail with vans to be able to transport the sculptures for photoshoots, to the artists to be painted and will be on hand to deliver them to their final locations on the trail.

Hanson UK, a leading supplier of low carbon heavy building materials to the construction industry, are also supporting the trail and are creating the concrete plinths that the sculptures will stand on.