Calling all young families, creatives and crafters to the very first public event to celebrate ACT’s launch of their Panda Meander Sculpture Trail in Spring 2027 – with sponsorship money set to help transform children’s care in the region and build the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital.
For ten spectacular weeks, from March 20th to May 29th, a collection of between 30 and 40 beautifully painted giant panda sculptures will pop up across the city, its green spaces and hidden corners – each of them brought to life by a gifted artist and proudly backed by a local business or organisation. Alongside the larger pandas, upwards of 30 smaller baby pandas will also feature in the trail, decorated by schools and community groups as part of the trail’s ‘Cub Club’.
ACT’s first public event to celebrate the trail launch will see a series of free creative workshops hosted by the Grand Arcade over three days of the school half-term, from Friday 29 May to Sunday 31 May.
The event is expected to attract lots of young children and their families – with each of them being given the chance to create their very own panda club thumbprint to take away, in celebration of Panda Meander.
ACT announced the launch of the Panda Meander trail back in March – picking the panda to represent the trail because of its links to the Paediatric and Neonatal Decision and Support Retrieval service (PaNDR) service, which transports the region’s sickest babies and children from hospital to the nearest intensive care unit, across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.
In 2019, ACT successfully fundraised to help establish the service.
As the official hospital charity for Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, ACT funds cutting-edge equipment, specialist staff, extra comforts and pioneering research that helps change and save lives, above and beyond what the NHS can provide.
Sponsorship of the large and smaller pandas by businesses, schools and community groups will help transform children’s care in the region and build the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital.
Cambridge-based professional services and auctioneering firm, Cheffins, the Lead Trail Partner for the Panda Meander Trail, unveiled the first design at the launch at the Museum of Zoology in Downing Street, Cambridge, back in March. Known as the ‘hero sculpture’, it is adorned with black and white illustrations from local artist Robin Mackney, featuring some of the most iconic buildings and landmarks of Cambridge.
Celebrating ACT’s first public event for Panda Meander, ACT’s Wild in Art Project Manager, Georgia Pallett, said: “We’re really excited to be at Grand Arcade over one of the half-term weekends promoting sponsorship opportunities of our upcoming Spring 2027 Wild in Art trail, Panda Meander.”
“Whether you’re a business who would like to sponsor one of our wonderful pandas, like the Grand Arcade, or your child is part of a school/community group who could join our Cub Club, please visit www.pandameander.co.uk to find out how to get involved. As part of Grand Arcade’s Let’s Go Circular initiative, we will be joined by our Lead Trail Partner Cheffins, encouraging families to get into pandastic spirit by taking part in our panda thumbprint craft activity.”
Martin Macwhinnie, Centre Manager Grand Arcade, said: “The Panda Meander city art trail will be a fantastic opportunity to support a crucial infrastructure for our community, while enlivening the city. Grand Arcade has committed to pledge and will host a number of pandatastic sculptures in 2027. In the meantime, we are delighted to involve Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust into our Let’s Go Circular campaign around sustainability and to give an exclusive preview of the trail to our visitors.”
Sarah Bush, Head of Residential at Cheffins, said: “As Lead Trail Partner, we are proud to support ACT and Wild in Art as the Panda Meander Trail is officially unveiled at the Grand Arcade. As the first public event connected to the trail, it promises to be a fantastic opportunity for families to see the first panda cub sculpture up close and enjoy a range of creative craft activities designed to bring this exciting project to life ahead of the main trail launch.”
“Supporting ACT to help and transform children’s care including the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital is incredibly important to us, and this event provides a valuable chance to raise awareness of the charity’s outstanding work and the vital impact the new hospital will have on children and families across the region.”
WORKSHOP DATES:
· Friday 29 May, 1pm –5pm
· Saturday 30 May, 10am-4pm
· Sunday 31 May, 11am-5pm
PANDA SPONSORSHIP:
Companies can sponsor a large Panda sculpture for £7,000 plus VAT; for schools and community groups who want to sponsor a baby panda, sponsorship is £750 plus VAT and they will be able to keep their panda at the end of the trail.
To find out more about the trail, and sponsorship, please go to: www.pandameander.co.uk