Oxford Brookes University is taken over by oxen as the Sobell House Hospice OxTrail herd arrives on campus.
A ‘herd’ of 135 oxen – large and small – were yesterday delivered to Oxford Brookes University Harcourt Hill Campus, with the support of 30 Squadron’s ‘Flat-Out’ team from the RAF, led by Flight Sergeant Joe Ainsworth, as they start their journey across the city to form part of this summer’s OxTrail.
The RAF Brize Norton based 30 Squadron team helped to unload and prepare the ‘full size’ and ‘calf size’ fibreglass oxen for further transit to participating artists and schools to begin their decoration.
Learning Programme Partner for this year’s Sobell House Hospice OxTrail, Oxford Brookes University, will be hosting a special event on the 28th of this month where participants of the programme can collect their oxen. The oxen will then be moo-ved into various places across the city and county ready for painting ahead of the widely anticipated art sculpture event.
OxTrail will launch to the public on 6th July 2024 and the art will be on display until early September 2024. After this, the sculptures will be auctioned to raise money for the hospice. The mini ox will then be placed in ‘local herds’ which will appear in publicly accessible buildings for eight weeks this summer, alongside over 30 large oxen that will appear at iconic landmarks and places of interest in the city.
OxTrail has been brought to Oxfordshire by the region’s largest hospice, Sobell House Hospice and its charity. Over 80 schools and community groups reaching over 37,500 young people are supporting OxTrail. Thanks to OxTrail’s learning programme, sponsored by Oxford Brookes University, participating schools will benefit from a range of engaging and inspirational resources being made available for lesson planning. A Workshop will also be provided to give the school the tools and inspiration to help with the creation of its ox design.
