September 1, 2021 5.27 pm This story is over 29 months old

Tickets now on sale for the Lincoln Imp Trail Auction

Funds raised will go to St Barnabas Hospice

By Local Democracy Reporter

The auction for the 31 sculptures on this year’s Lincoln Imp Trail is taking place on Lincolnshire Day, October 1, and tickets are available now.

An auction to raise money for the event’s charity partner, St Barnabas Hospice, will take place at Lincoln Cathedral on Friday, October 1, where the sculptures will be sold by professional auctioneer Ian Walter from JH Walter.

Tickets for the auction are available now at a price of £15 from the St Barnabas Hospice website, if you feel like contributing to the charity and maybe even winning yourself one of the coveted imp sculptures.

The trail launched on Saturday, July 3 and saw 30 imp sculptures placed around Lincoln and an additional imp at the Hildred’s Centre in Skegness.

It has been the talk of the town since it launched, and will run until September 16, so if you haven’t done it yet now is your chance!

The route can be planned on a map and a free interactive app to help you find the statues, designed by freelance artists across Lincolnshire and beyond.

Check out where to find the 30 imps on this year’s trail. | Photo: Lincoln Imp Trail

Trail maps and merchandise are available from the Visitor Information Centre at Castle Square seven days a week, and the Imp Hub at the Waterside Shopping Centre from Thursday to Saturday each week until September 4.

 

No14 RAF Legends. | Photo: John Aron for The Lincolnite

Sarah Loftus, Chief Executive of Lincoln BIG, trail organisers, said: “Proceeds from this event will go to support the fantastic work of St Barnabas Hospice. We hope that local businesses, organisations and individuals will be interested in bidding for the imps and that some will find a permanent home in the city.”

The trail has not been without its hiccups, though, as two of the sculptures have been subject to vandalism since they were put up in the city.

The first statue, the Community Imp, was vandalised by 20-year-old Bradley Pennell, of Ogilvy Drive in Bottesford, Scunthorpe, who was ordered to pay for the damages at an appearance in court.

The original imp was destroyed.

The imp was designed by local freelance artist Sian Bristow, with the help of a local primary school girl, and has now been repaired and put back up in its spot on Guildhall Street.

The Community Imp sits proudly back on its spot at Guildhall Street. | Photo: The Lincolnite

A month after this, the Footie Imp on the lower High Street was damaged. Police have charged Stewart Tomlinson, 45, from Grimsby, with criminal damage in connection to the incident and he will appear in court on September 16.

The Lincoln City FC themed imp was destroyed. | Photo: Lincoln Police

The Footie Imp has been temporarily replaced by a shimmering red sculpture, the same one which was used as a placeholder for the Community Imp when that was taken in for repair.

The Footie Imp has been temporarily replaced by this red statue. | Photo: The Lincolnite

Both are still scheduled to be a part of the auction at Lincoln Cathedral, though the Footie Imp is still being checked to make sure it can be repaired in time.