Giant sculpture of The Gruffalo to go under the hammer as Brighton’s Story Trail ends

Dame Julia Donaldson to appear at Amaze Story Trail farewell weekend, ahead of charity auction of the trail’s sculptures

All good stories must come to an end, and the Amaze Story Trail is going out in style. The Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson will join the trail’s farewell weekend, which takes place at the end of November, to sign copies of her new book Gruffalo Granny. On show will also be a giant sculpture of The Gruffalo painted by artist Amanda Quellin, which will be auctioned for Amaze.

For the first time, all 30 BookBench sculptures and 44 small BookBenches from the Story Trail will be displayed together. The farewell weekend runs from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November in The Wing at The Brighton Centre (Russell Road entrance) and is sponsored by Donatello. 

For the past eight weeks the BookBenches have been on public show across Brighton & Hove as part of the Story Trail, which is organised by and raises funds for Amaze, the Sussex charity that supports families with disabled children.

Over the weekend, visitors will see every sculpture in one place. Alongside this, they can also meet some of the artists behind the unique BookBench designs and visit a SEND-friendly Santa, between 12 and 3.30pm on Saturday and Sunday, where all ages welcome. There will also be craft activities, including badge-making, and performances from local theatre groups. 

Julia Donaldson will be signing copies of Gruffalo Granny purchased through Amaze at the event on Saturday 28 November between 2 and 4pm. On Friday evening, 27 November from 4 to 6 pm, there will be a relaxed SEND-friendly session with no music and extra activities.

Tickets cost £10 for adults, £5 for children or £25 for a group of four, and can be booked at amazesussex.org.uk/thestorytrail/farewell-weekend/. Discounts are available for Amaze Compass Card holders. Tickets for the Julia Donaldson book signing need to be purchased separately in advance from the same website, £15 per book signed alongside the entry ticket, as space is limited.

The Gruffalo (Classic) by Amanda Quellin. Photo by David Oates

Own a piece of the Story Trail

On Monday 30 November, the giant sculpture of The Gruffalo and all 30 BookBenches will be auctioned at The Wing at the Brighton Centre from 6pm to 11pm. Bids can be made online or in person, and bidding is expected to start at around £3,000 per sculpture. 

Tickets for the live auction cost £20, including drinks and nibbles. Places are limited, so Amaze asks that only serious bidders register. Book tickets and bid online at amazesussex.org.uk/thestorytrail/auction/. Money raised goes to Amaze, the Sussex charity supporting families with disabled children across Sussex.

Sally Polanski, Chief Executive of Amaze, said:

 “The response to our BookBenches has been incredible and we look forward to giving them one final send off. Families and friends have loved following the trail, and the benches have given people across Brighton & Hove somewhere to sit, rest, connect and enjoy the work of so many brilliant local artists.

“As well as raising vital funds, the trail has put our small charity on the map, helping us reach more Sussex families with disabled children. Come and see the sculptures together one last time, and maybe even bid on a favourite for your garden, workplace or community space.”

Charlie Langhorne, Managing Director and Co-founder at Wild in Art, which produces public art trails across the UK and co-produced the Art Trail, added:

“It’s been wonderful to see how much joy the Story Trail has brought to thousands of people across Brighton and Hove. Seeing all the BookBenches gathered together at the Farewell Weekend will be an amazing spectacle, and they now have an important job to do in helping to raise funds for Amaze. Make sure you see them all at the Farewell Weekend and pick your favourites to bid on at auction.”