Bristow Backs Aberdeen's Wild Dolphins This Summer
Bristow's Europe Business Unit (EBU) has added its support to a spectacular dolphin-themed tourism project which will hit the streets of Aberdeen this summer.
Beginning June 23, 2014, the city is playing host to the Wild Dolphins project which will see around 50 life-sized sculptures of bottlenose dolphins - usually spotted off the North-east coast - popping up all over town.
As a silver sponsor, Bristow has donated important funds to the ARCHIE Foundation and in return will receive its very own dolphin named Luna, created by artist Craig Harper.
“The Wild Dolphins event will not only raise awareness and vital funds for our work, but will also delight local people and tourists alike when they see these big sculptures on the streets of Aberdeen, so we are very grateful to our sponsors who have supported the project and made it happen.”
Luna will have a temporary home on the Wild Dolphins trail, at Bon Accord Square, which will lead both visitors and locals around Aberdeen’s landmarks, including the beach, harbor, parks and throughout the city center.
Mike Imlach, Vice President of Operations and Managing Director of Bristow Helicopters Ltd, said: “We were keen to be involved in the Wild Dolphins project from the outset and selected Luna as we felt it was relevant to us. We chose the ARCHIE Foundation as our charity of choice for the Energy Ball and this is a great way of supporting them and their High 10 campaign once again. It is also a fun project that will run for the whole summer encouraging people to be outdoor and active.”
Trail maps will be available from shops, libraries, community centers, hotels and other attractions and a smartphone app will include incentives and rewards for visitors who scan different Wild Dolphins on their phone.
The dolphins will be on display through late August before being auctioned in aid of Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) to support its work protecting local wild dolphins and the ARCHIE Foundation at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.
Aberdeen is the latest city to benefit from the successful Wild in Art sculpture projects, which have previously seen giant cartoon Gromits in Bristol, GoGo Gorillas in Norwich and SuperLambBananas in Liverpool. Wild in Art specializes in mass-appeal public art events and local people are being encouraged to become tourists in their own city.
Visitors from across the UK and beyond are also expected to come to Aberdeen over the summer to see the dolphins, with previous projects reporting an increase in tourist activity in the area and a boost to the local economy.
Cassie Thompson, Director of Fundraising at the ARCHIE Foundation, said: “The Wild Dolphins event will not only raise awareness and vital funds for our work, but will also delight local people and tourists alike when they see these big sculptures on the streets of Aberdeen, so we are very grateful to our sponsors who have supported the project and made it happen.”
For more information, visit:
www.wilddolphins.org.uk
www.facebook.com/WildDolphinsAberdeen
www.twitter.com/WildDolphin2014
http://instagram.com/wilddolphinsaberdeen