23 decorated owlets from this summer’s successful Minerva’s Owls of Bath sculpture trail have officially flown the nest and will now roost at the schools and charities that decorated them.
The owlets will serve as a reminder of the colourful trail for future generations.
Among those welcoming their owlet home are Oldfield School, Midford Road Nursery, Widcombe Junior School, Freshford Pre-School, Bath Young Carers, the Great Western Air Ambulance and WASPS (Weston All Saints Primary), whose very own Jack Hills, aged 9, personally campaigned for a business to sponsor an owlet for the school.
Excited representatives from the schools and charities could be seen with beaming smiles as they went to collect their new feathered friends.
58 of the large owls from the sculpture trail, along with three specially commissioned owlets, are going under the hammer to be sold at the Minerva’s Owls of Bath Charity Auction, which takes place at The Apex Hotel in Bath on Wednesday 17th October.
Owl bidding is expected to start in the region of £1,500, with some expected to raise considerably more.
All event profits will be donated to four charity beneficiaries – the new Royal United Hospital Cancer Centre, Bath Young Carers Centre, Roman Baths Archway Project and UK Little Owl Project.
Work by artists including Inkie, Richard Twose, Brian Grimwood, and Horrible Histories illustrator Martin Brown are featured amongst the lots available and are tipped to be of interest to collectors both nationwide and globally.
There is still the opportunity to see some of the trail’s most popular owls before the colourful flock fly the nest. JK Owling and Festiv’Owl can be seen nesting in Waterstones Milsom Street, Cosmos at Jollys, Minerva’s Night Owl at the Guildhall Market, and Hoops will be at the Bath Rugby ticket shop this weekend.
Whilst most of the owl sculptures from the summer trail will be available for fans to bid on at next week’s auction, either in person or online via The Auction Room, one lucky owl enthusiast will have the chance to win the blank Hospit’Owl via a charity raffle.
Tickets can be bought from the Minerva’s Owls team at SouthGate Bath on Sunday 14th October. Books of 10 and 20 tickets can be bought from the Owls of Bath shop.
Megan Witty, Minerva’s Owls of Bath Event organiser, said: “All the owl sculptures have brought so much happiness, fun and colour to the streets of Bath this summer and it’s wonderful that the owlets will be nesting at schools and charities across the region, where they will be much loved mascots for many years to come.”
If you would like to make a bid one of the unique Owls of Bath sculptures for your garden, home or business, visit https://minervasowls.org/auction/ for details of how to bid in person or on the phone, or visit www.theauctionroom.com to bid live online.
Auction tickets are at cost price at £37.50 + VAT and include the Big Hoot drinks reception with a selection of savoury dishes, followed by desserts, cheese & fruit platter, chocolates and coffee/tea in the Lansdown Suite.
Wine can be pre-ordered for the table and there’s a cash bar. Tables of 8/10 are available if you’d like to make up a table of friends and fellow bidders.
