Gordonstoun pupils to design mini sculpture for The Big Hop Trail

Pupils from Gordonstoun are going to design and create artwork for a sculpture to be featured in Scotland’s biggest public art trail this summer.

The school is taking part in The Big Hop Trail which will take place across the north-east, Moray, Orkney and Shetland from July to September 2023 this year to raise awareness and funds for Clan Cancer Support.

Forty large hare sculptures will be designed and created by some of the country’s most talented artists for a world-class, free art trail across communities where Clan Cancer Support has a presence.

Gordonstoun is one of 47 schools across the north of Scotland creating a mini ‘moongazer’ hare sculpture to be on display as part of ‘The Wee Hop’ - a smaller scale trail which will be publicly exhibited in local communities for the duration of the project.

Wendi Van-Hoof, Head of Art at Gordonstoun said of the project “The students are delighted to be taking part in this initiative and have already named the hare Harold. In the coming term our art Captains Sabine Wecker and Natalie Beatton will be leading the project with the younger students to come up with a theme for Harold. They are incredibly excited about taking this on and we are all looking forward to seeing how he turns out”

The event’s hare sculpture has been chosen because it is an indigenous animal found in all parts of Clan’s geography. Much like those going through a cancer journey, hares have to navigate rough and difficult terrain in order to survive. They also have incredible hearing, symbolising Clan’s lifeline listening and support service and the importance of being heard.

At the end of the trail, all of the large sculptures will be auctioned off to raise significant funds for Clan to help the charity reach and support more people who have been affected by a cancer diagnosis. The mini sculptures will be returned to each school as a keepsake of their role in the project.

For more information visit www.thebighop.co.uk

ABOUT GORDONSTOUN:

Gordonstoun is a not-for-profit independent boarding school which was established in Moray, Scotland in 1934 by Dr Kurt Hahn, a Jewish exile who fled Nazi Germany. He founded the school with the ideal of developing better world citizens equipped to contribute to society. Dr Kurt Hahn was the driving force behind the Outward Bound Movement and also worked with former pupil Prince Philip to establish The Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards. Gordonstoun has been a pioneer of character education which, as well as academic subjects, includes outdoor activities, sailing and service to the community. Three generations of British Royalty were educated at Gordonstoun including the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles. Approximately one third of the pupils at the co-educational boarding school receive financial help in order to attend. The school was described as ‘outstanding’ and ‘sector-leading’ in its most recent inspection and was voted the best boarding school in the UK in 2021.

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