Teens recall Gromit Unleashed trail memories 12 years on

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Alastair McKee

BBC Reporter

BBC Naomi, aged 17, stands smiling beside a brightly coloured Gromit sculpture. She is wearing a white dress and striking the same playful pose she did as a young child. The sculpture features vivid patterns and cheerful colours.BBC

Naomi, 17, recreates her 2013 pose with Gromit, calling the new trail “a sentimental walk down memory lane”

Teenagers who grew up with the Gromit Unleashed trails in Bristol have been reminiscing on the latest version of the charity project, 12 years after it all began.

Many completed the first and second trails as young children and have returned to relive special memories with the latest installation.

Seventeen-year-old Naomi, who was five years old in 2013, the year of the first Gromit trail, said: “Because I’d done previous trials, it’s a sentimental walk down memory lane.”

The sculptures will be in place across Bristol until 31 August before they are auctioned off later this year in aid of The Grand Appeal, Bristol Children’s Hospital charity.

Naomi/Family copyright A younger Naomi, aged five, wears a pink dress and stands beside a pale blue Shaun the Sheep sculpture decorated with colourful hot air balloons on its face. Three other children — her siblings and a friend — are sitting under the sculpture, smiling for the camera.Naomi/Family copyright

A five-year-old Naomi with her best friend and siblings on the first Gromit trail in 2013

Barney/Family copyright Three-year-old Barney reaches up toward a Gromit sculpture. He wears a red T-shirt under a bright blue raincoat with multicoloured details. Gromit is painted in a mix of vivid colours and patterns.Barney/Family copyright

Barney was only three years old, but already hooked on Wallace and Gromit

Barney was only just tall enough to touch Gromit’s nose when he took part in the first trail.

Now more than 6ft tall, the 15-year-old dwarves the famous beagle and said he still loves collecting models of the Aardman characters.

“I don’t think you ever grow out of these characters really because you’ve been seeing them since such a young age, it was one of the first things I was really properly into,” he said.

“When the first trail went up in 2013, I was three years old and I remember being really excited because I’d watched all the Wallace and Gromit films,” he added.

“We decided as a family it would be nice to go out and hunt them all down.”

Barney, now 15, stands next to a life-size sculpture of Wallace. He is wearing a black jumper and has one arm casually resting across Wallace’s shoulder. Wallace is dressed in his classic outfit, including a red cardigan and white shirt.

Now 15 and over 6ft tall, Barney says his love for the characters has never faded

Brothers Leo and Hugh both remember doing previous trails as a family, as they have a special connection to The Grand Appeal.

They began fundraising for the charity after their sister, Lydia, died of a heart condition and have since raised £65,000.

Leo was two when he went on his first Gromit trail with his dad, Austen.

He said: “I think the Wallace and Gromit trails are great fun because it gets you to places you wouldn’t usually go to usually.”

Hugh added: “I think the Grand Appeal is amazing because it helps people.”

Teenagers Leo and Hugh crouch beneath a large, colourful Gromit sculpture in the same way they did as children. The sculpture is covered in bright designs and patterns. The boys smile.

Leo and Hugh recreate their poses from an earlier Gromit trail

Family copyright A young Leo and Hugh crouch beneath a large, colourful sculpture during the 2015 trail. The sculpture is covered in bright designs and patterns. The boys smile beneath its large, floppy ears.Family copyright

Leo and Hugh on the 2015 Gromit trail. They have since raised £65,000 for The Grand Appeal in memory of their sister Lydia

Anna Hitchcock, head of commercial at The Grand Appeal, said: “Gromit is really important to lots of people in Bristol and the character pulls people in.

“They’ve taken it [the trail] to their hearts, they want to collect the figurines and then do it again the next time.

“Something about the trail is about getting back to basics, going out with the family in the good weather and you get to explore Bristol and spend quality time together.”

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