Kids are joining the big rhino charge (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Rhino sculptures at Marwell Wildlife

5:00pm Wednesday 6th March 2013 in News By Gazette reporter

THE CHARGE is rapidly gathering pace as a herd of rhino sculptures invaded Hampshire ready for their makeovers.

A total of 57 mini-rhinos flocked to Marwell Wildlife near Winchester as the Go! Rhinos education programme enters its next creative stage with schools and community groups across five counties.

Each rhino has been sponsored by a school which will now be able to pick up their sculpture and take it back to class to be decorated, ready for it to take its place in a public art extravaganza which goes live in Southampton this July.

The mini-rhinos will form an indoor trail, while the life-sized sculptures, sponsored by businesses, will graze the streets of the city during the 10-week exhibition.

Kirstie Mathieson, project manager, said: “It’s really exciting to see all the smaller rhino sculptures arrive at Marwell. These sculptures will now be distributed to the participating schools and community groups to decorate before they join the trail in the summer. We can’t wait to see what they come up with.”

There is still time for businesses to get involved by paying between £3,500 to £4,000 for a sculpture, which they can then choose to decorate with one of a variety of designs by local artists.

Some of the proceeds from the auction of the sculptures at the end of the 10-week trail through the city will go towards Marwell Wildlife’s work with rhino conservation, as well as other good causes including the Wessex Heartbeat HIGH 5 Appeal.

For more information, call Kirstie on 01962 777931.