It was a night of celebration and generosity as the Lions at Large – The Pride of Gloucestershire auction raised an impressive £220,000 towards a new state-of-the-art cancer centre.
Held at Gloucester Cathedral, the auction saw 32 large and three small lion sculptures go under the hammer in support of The Big Space Cancer Appeal, which is raising funds for enhanced cancer care facilities across the county.
The event drew nearly 200 guests, with bidders in the room and online vying to give their favourite lion a forever home.
In total, the wider campaign has now raised over £370,000.
Richard Smith, Associate Director of Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals Charity, said: “It was an unforgettable evening, and we’re absolutely thrilled with the total. The Gloucestershire community has shown amazing generosity in helping us get closer to our dream of a bigger, brighter home for cancer care.”
The colourful lion sculptures were part of the county’s first-ever Wild in Art trail over the summer, which saw thousands of visitors exploring the streets to spot the pride. More than 200,000 sculptures were unlocked on the official app, with families collectively covering over 2,000 miles on the trail.
Among the standout moments of the auction was the heartfelt success of the Twyning community, who raised £15,500 to bring home The Kintsugi Lion by local artist Samantha Morris.
Community organiser Paul Dorkings said: “Winning the auction and securing the lion’s return is about more than a sculpture – it’s bringing home a piece of our community. It shows what’s possible when people come together with hope and compassion.”
The Dean of Gloucester, the Very Reverend Andrew Zihni, who sits on The Big Space Cancer Appeal Board, said the project had been “a wonderful opportunity to engage with the wider community” and would help create “a lasting legacy of care” for people affected by cancer.