October 18, 2021 1.11 pm This story is over 28 months old

Folklore Imp gifted to St Barnabas after Chestnut Homes’ £8k winning bid

The Lincoln Imp Trail raised £125k for the charity

Chestnut Homes has generously gifted St Barnabas Hospice the Folklore Imp after making an £8,000 winning bid at the Lincoln Imp Trail auction.

The popular Imp Trail was organised by Lincoln BIG and ran over the summer across the city, before coming to an end last month ahead of the farewell parade and auction.

The 31 statues went under the hammer at an average selling price of £4,000, when the Lincoln Imp Trail auction was held in the city’s iconic Cathedral on Lincolnshire Day, October 1.

Carrying the Imp back inside his new home. | Photo: David Harrison

An impressive £125,000 was raised with A Little Lucky Imp fetching the highest bid of £10,000, but the new owner will remain private for now – see a breakdown of what each imp sold for here.

The Folklore Imp was designed by local artist Carolyn Short and sponsored by St Barnabas. It was purchased by Chestnut Homes who gifted it back to the charity.

St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice said: “Thank you to all our corporate sponsors, with your support £125,000 was raised for St Barnabas Hospice to allow us to continue to provide care and support to people in Lincolnshire who need it most.”

The Folklore Imp has a new home. | Photo: David Harrison

Standing proudly with the Folklore Imp. | Photo: David Harrison

Rob Newton, construction director at Chestnut Homes, said: “Being able to return the Folklore Imp to the team and patients at St Barnabas Hospice has been a highlight for everyone at Chestnut Homes.

“We are hugely grateful to all the staff at St Barnabas Hospice for all their hard work at this extremely difficult time and we are looking forward to supporting the hospice more in the future.”