Weldmar Hospicecare is proud to launch its Learning Programme for schools which aims to help teachers Address the Elephant in the Room, part of the Stampede by the Sea Wild Art Trail.
The Learning Programme, sponsored by Wessex Internet, is a vital part of Stampede by the Sea and shows the lasting impact of the trail on the local community. This school-based programme uses creative activities to encourage children to express their feelings about grief, loss and change. Over 46,000 children in the UK lose a parent before the age of 17 each year and yet the topic of grief and sadness is often not broached with children. Weldmar aims to help teachers and educators to talk about the elephant in the room with their students, helping them to navigate this incredibly difficult time.
Participating schools, currently 22 across Dorset, can design and paint baby elephant sculptures, which will feature in the trail in spring 2025. Once signed up for Stampede by the Sea, schools will have access to the Learning Programme and its resources, helping teachers address these topics. Once the 8 week trail is complete, the baby elephants will go back to their schools, acting as a constant reminder to try and talk openly about emotions and feelings.
April Whitehead Interim Head of Fundraising commented: “The Learning Programme is an integral part of Stampede by the Sea and shows the ongoing impact that the trail will have on our local communities. Bereavement and grief are such difficult topics to talk about, especially with children, and yet it’s vital that we help them through these times of such pain. We hope that the baby elephants not only give teachers the opportunity to address some of these topics, but that the Learning Programme will give them the tools to do so with confidence.”
Local businesses are invited to partner with this exciting initiative, offering various sponsorship opportunities. Artists from the local area and across the country have submitted designs for the elephants, contributing their creativity; these designs are top secret until the trail launches in spring 2025.
Hector Gibson Fleming, CEO, Wessex Internet said: “Childhood bereavement is such a difficult topic to approach that we knew we wanted to do what we could to work with Weldmar Hospicecare and local schools to offer training and workshops for our fantastic teachers and educators. We’re very proud to be part of Stampede by the Sea and hope that the benefits of the Learning Programme workshops will be long-lasting.”
The art trail aims to raise vital funds and awareness for Weldmar Hospicecare, which provides specialised end-of-life care for adults in Dorset with life-limiting illnesses. Each full-size elephant sculpture will be auctioned off by Dukes at the end of the trail, with proceeds directly supporting the hospice’s services. With 16 sponsors currently on-board, the team at Weldmar is looking for more local businesses to apply to sponsor an elephant.
For more information and to get involved, visit Weldmar Hospicecare’s Stampede by the Sea.
For further details and to follow the progress of ‘Stampede by the Sea,’ stay connected with Stampede by the Sea on social media.
