Hairy Highland Coo Trail raises an incredible £272,000 for CHAS

Click through to this article to follow the Highland Coo trail … which began with 30 colourful ‘coo’ sculptures being unleashed across Perth and Kinross.

Hairy Highland Coo Trail Project Manager, Hayley Smith from CHAS said:

“Thanks to the amazing generosity of everyone Scone Palace on the night of the auction and everyone who made bids online we were able to raise a breathtaking £272,000 for CHAS.

This money will make a life changing difference to all of the children and families we support at our hospices and in their homes across Scotland.

The trail would not have been so successful without the support from all those involved, the artists, our sponsors and of course the enthusiasm from members of the public who came in droves to view our incredible coos across Perth and Kinross throughout the summer months.”

 —————–

In June 2024 CHAS officially launched the Hairy Highland Coo Trail

A herd of 30 colourful ‘coo’ sculptures were unleashed today across Perth and Kinross as Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) officially launched its Hairy Highland Coo Trail.

A celebratory event took place at Scone Palace to mark the opening of the much-anticipated trail. The venue’s peacock-themed coo, aptly entitled ‘PeaCOOck’ was unveiled to invited guests before they were all invited to board a Stagecoach bus to visit other coos along the trail.

It is hoped that the venture, which is being run by CHAS in partnership with Wild in Art and Perth and Kinross Council, will contribute to the social, cultural and economic growth of Perth and Kinross by attracting visitors, showcasing the beauty of the region far and wide and raising funds for the charity at the same time.

Each coo, which has been designed and painted by individual artists, and sponsored by a local business, has been thoughtfully placed in streets, parks and public spaces across Perth and Kinross.

Some of the coo names include Highland Toffee, Iron Coo, Tartan Army Coo and Saltire Scotland Coo.

The Saltire Scotland Coo is sponsored by Motability Operations, the company which delivers the Motability Scheme to over 760,000 disabled people and their families, helping them access independent mobility.

Gavin Thomson, Managing Director Scotland, at Motability Operations said: “We are proud to be sponsoring one of the Hairy Highland Coo sculptures this year, so we can support CHAS in their vital work with children facing life-shortening conditions across Scotland. Our Saltire Scotland coo has found a perfect home in the picturesque town of Dunkeld. Crafted by the talented artist Jan Laird, our coo has really captured the imaginations of our team at Motability Operations and we have affectionately given it the nickname ‘Moo Billy T’.

“This sponsorship reflects our commitment to our community, reinforcing our dedication to giving back and promoting social good. We encourage everyone to have fun this summer, download the trail app and explore all the vibrant and accessible coos on this inspiring art trail.”

As well as the 30 large coos, there are also 20 mini-coos forming part of a ‘Wee Coo Trail’, all of which have been painted by local schools, nurseries and community groups.

These smaller sculptures will be positioned at various indoor locations across Perth City Centre.

The trail will run from now until 6 September 2024 after which time the sculptures will be sold at an auction at Scone Palace.

Hairy Highland Coo Trail Project Manager, Hayley Smith from CHAS said: “After many months of careful planning and collaboration with our artists, sponsors and other stakeholders, we are incredibly excited that our Hairy Highland Coo Trail is now open for all to experience and enjoy.

“We have a Hairy Highland Coo Trail app to help people navigate the trail which is available to download via IOS and Google Play.

 

“This is the first sculpture trail to focus solely on Perth and Kinross and we’re sure our colourful coos will not only inspire local people but will also bring tourists to the area, all while raising significant funds for CHAS at the same time. We hope to raise around £100,000 through this exciting project to continue supporting children with life-shortening conditions and their families right across Scotland.

“I would like to thank all our talented artists, generous sponsors and dedicated stakeholders for their incredible support and look forward to welcoming people to the trail and seeing everyone’s wonderful photographs on social media over the coming weeks.”

Perth and Kinross Provost Xander McDade also welcomed the opening of the trail, commenting: “The Hairy Highland Coo trail will be a wonderful event and a fantastic incentive for people to explore Perth and Kinross. I am sure the trail will be enormously popular this summer and look forward to seeing all the sculptures in place.”

Charlie Langhorne, Managing Director and Co-founder Wild in Art said: “Wild in Art passionately champions the importance of art and being creative for everyone and it’s wonderful to see the Highland Coos showcasing such a wealth of artistic talent.

“Exploring the trail is a fun, outdoor activity to do with friends and family and it’s a great opportunity to discover the local area, while finding out more about the important work of CHAS. I hope everyone will enjoy discovering the Coos.”

—————————–

 

  In September it was announced that the CHAS Hairy Highland Coos were to be herded to auction!

   

Sculptures from Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS)’s Hairy Highland Coo Trail which took place across Perth and Kinross this summer are set to be auctioned at Scone Palace next week.

The herd of 37 colourful ‘coos’ (29 big coos and eight wee coos) will be auctioned on the evening of Thursday 26 September.

A final farewell weekend for visitors to get the chance to see all coos together before the auction has also been arranged for this weekend (September 21 and 22) at the palace and tickets are still available to be purchased here.

The talented artists who painted the sculptures will be in attendance at the auction and there will even be some blank coos available to buy, which include an artist commission meaning lucky bidders could acquire their very own personalised coo sculpture.

It is hoped that the auction, which will be hosted by well-known compere and auctioneer Alex Fleming, will raise over £100,000 in vital funds for CHAS to continue its work supporting children with life-shortening conditions and their families across Scotland.

Lord Stormont, heir to Scone Palace, will also be in attendance on the night as well as Rami Okasha, CHAS CEO, Charlie Langhorn, Managing Director from Wild in Art, and parent speakers Jaclyn and Andrew Suttie who will share their experience of CHAS.

The trail, run by CHAS in partnership with Wild in Art and Perth and Kinross Council, has contributed to the social, cultural and economic growth of Perth and Kinross by attracting visitors from all over the UK, showcasing the beauty of the region far and wide while raising funds for the charity at the same time.

Rami Okasha CHAS CEO said “A heartfelt thank you to everyone who visited our herd of bespoke Highland coo sculptures and to all our sponsors and partners involved who worked tirelessly to make this coo trail possible. CHAS provides unwavering care to children who may die young and their families, at every step on this hardest of journeys.

“The bids received in this auction will make a huge difference to children and families. All donations help us to reach every family across Scotland who needs support from CHAS and to keep the joy alive even in the face of death.

Hairy Highland Coo Trail Project Manager, Hayley Smith said: “It has been incredible to see all the excitement and interest surrounding the coo trail with visitors exploring the trail and recording the coos they have located. At the end of the trail, more than 105k sculptures were collected on a dedicated coo trail app which achieved over 5,000 downloads.

“It will be sad to say farewell to the coos, however we are happy that they are moving on to pastures new and looking forward to these beautiful coos finding their forever homes at the auction.”

———————

 ….and, as they say, the rest is history…plus a remarkable £272,000 pounds

 

About CHAS

• Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) provides unwavering care to children who may die young and their families, at every step on this hardest of journeys.
• We provide support in the early days after a child is diagnosed with a life-shorting condition. Having a very ill child means a family’s life changes enormously, and we are there to help every family member emotionally, clinically, and practically.
• We provide integrated palliative and end of life care as well as respite care for the whole family in our two hospices, Rachel House in Kinross and Robin House in Balloch.
• Our outreach team operates in every local authority area – providing highly skilled nursing care for children in their own homes (often in partnership with local teams), as well as a full family support service. This includes social work, income maximisation, energy advice, spiritual and bereavement support, transition to adult services for 16 – 21s, and therapeutic play.
• There is a joint CHAS/NHS specialist team in every children’s hospital in Scotland. The only specialist Paediatric Palliative Medicine posts in Scotland are funded by CHAS. Our Diana Children’s Nurses provide specialist support alongside the NHS in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
• We are there at the end of life, supporting children to die with dignity, in accordance with their and their parents’ wishes and we also help in the difficult days after a child dies and can offer bereavement support in the years ahead.
• The wonderful letters which form our logo are created by the children and families that use our services.
• Follow CHAS on Twitter and Instagram: @supportCHAS, or like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/supportCHAS
• For further information, visit CHAS at www.chas.org.uk.