TransPennine Express launches the Kirklees Rocket
TransPennine Express (TPE) is excited to welcome visitors to the Snowdogs Support Life, Kirklees art trail and to see its sponsored sculpture the ‘Kirklees Rocket’.
The eight-week event features 67 Snowdog and Snowdog pup sculptures across the Kirklees borough, inspired by the much-loved animated film, The Snowman™ and The Snowdog, the hugely popular sequel to Raymond Briggs’ classic story The Snowman.
Darren Higgins, Commercial Director for TransPennine Express said: “I’m excited to reveal our final design which features a train-like construction with metal plates and rivets, similar to an old-fashioned steam locomotive.”
“The Kirklees Rocket takes pride of place in front of Huddersfield Station and pays homage to the expansive railway links that connect the Kirklees borough with the rest of the UK.”
To celebrate the launch of West Yorkshire’s largest art event, TPE will be handing out dog-themed sweets onboard some of its services which pass through the trail.
TPE is also offering a reward to customers who visit the Kirklees Rocket. Using the Snowdogs Support Life App, visitors can follow the trail, collect Snowdogs sculptures and unlock rewards including a 20 per cent discount on train journeys (terms and conditions can be found at the TPE website).
Notes to editors
About Snowdogs Support Life, Kirklees
Organised by The Kirkwood in partnership with Wild in Art and Snowman Enterprises Ltd, Snowdogs Support Life, Kirklees will be a free large scale art event and will show off the very best creative talent from local, regional and national artists. As part of this one-of-a-kind public art event in West Yorkshire, businesses are being given the opportunity to sponsor one of the individually designed Snowdog sculptures. This presents businesses with a unique and exciting way to promote their business throughout the local area.
The trail will help raise awareness and essential funds for The Kirkwood as they continue their work to help and support those living with a life limiting illness in Kirklees, while encouraging visitors from far and wide to explore new parts of our region.
Visit www.snowdogskirklees.org.uk
About The World of The Snowman™
Originally published in 1978, The Snowman was created and illustrated as a wordless picture book by Raymond Briggs. Beautifully illustrated with pencil and crayon, the story follows a boy, James, who builds a snowman in his garden one winter’s day. That night, an unforgettable adventure begins when The Snowman comes to life.
Producer, John Coates convinced Raymond to allow him to animate this magical story and the animation launched on Channel 4 in its inaugural year in 1982. The film was a huge success, earning an Academy Award nomination and winning a BAFTA TV award. It has been repeated every Christmas on Channel 4 in the 40 years since.
Ten years ago this year, the highly-anticipated sequel, created with Raymond Briggs’ approval, was announced. The Snowman and The Snowdog premiered on Channel 4 on 24th December 2012 and was seen by over 10 million viewers over that festive period. The Snowman and The Snowdog takes place in the same house that features in The Snowman and tells the story of a boy, Billy, who discovers a snowman-making kit hidden under the floorboards of his new home on Christmas Eve. Billy builds a snowman and, with a little leftover snow, a snowdog. As the clock strikes midnight, the two come to life and Billy joins them on a magical, fun-filled journey across the skies to attend a party filled with snowmen and Father Christmas himself.
The Snowman brand continues to enjoy an international audience with global broadcast of the sequel, along with an array of publishing from Puffin and consumer products; live and immersive experiences managed by Penguin Ventures. Snowman Enterprises Limited (SEL) is a Penguin Random House company.
About Wild in Art
Wild in Art is the leading producer of spectacular public art events that entertain, enrich, inform and leave a lasting legacy. It brings together businesses and creative sectors with schools and local communities through the creation of uniquely painted sculptures.
Since 2008 Wild in Art has animated cities across the world including Manchester, Sydney, Auckland, Cape Town and São Paulo, and created trails for the London 2012 Olympics, the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Historic Royal Palaces and Penguin Random House.
Wild in Art events have:
Enabled over £19.5m to be raised for charitable causes
Injected £3.5m into local creative communities
Engaged over 950,000 young people in learning programmes
Helped millions of people of all ages to experience art in non-traditional settings
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