Four wee Oor Wullie statues will join their big brothers around Aberdeen to help raise even more cash for sick children across the north-east.
The new “Wandering Wullies” are smaller versions of the statues that have captured the hearts of communities across the city and Aberdeenshire as part of the Oor Wullie’s Big Bucket Trail, a nationwide art project designed to generate funds for children’s hospital charities throughout Scotland.
The new miniature sculptures will go under the hammer in September when all the north-east Wullie statues, big and small, are auctioned off in aid of The Archie Foundation, the official charity of the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.
Yesterday, the wee Wullies started their journey throughout the Granite City within the wards of the hospital.
Children staying there joined their families and medical staff on a treasure hunt around the wards, where they met the colourful new sculptures and tried their hand at painting their own pictures of Scotland’s most beloved comic book character.
Just like the larger versions, each of the four new Wullies have been carefully designed by local artists.
Some of the new models have been painted to look like a garden gnome, and another looks like he’s ready for a work-out session.
Artist Fiona Chance, who is coordinating the project, said: “The artists worked really hard and enjoyed creating colourful and bold designs for these special Oor Wullies, and now they’re ready to begin their adventures, bringing smiles to people out and about the city and beyond.
“It’s been wonderful to launch their journey with the children who will ultimately benefit from all the money that will be raised when the sculptures are auctioned off in September.”
Claire Munro and her two-year-old son Harry were among the families who took on the treasure hunt challenge yesterday.
Ms Munro said: “It’s been really fun looking all around the hospital, and Harry and all the other kids really loved it.
“The wee Wullies are really colourful, we really had a lot of fun.”
The Wandering Wullies will soon be going out and about in Aberdeen, but while they’re not on adventures they will be based at the Oor Wullie’s Big Bucket Trail shop at the Bon Accord centre.