How Elmer the Elephant got us walking around Newcastle

As a mum who had Cyrus at 40, I’ve always wanted to make exercise a normal part of family life. I enjoy the gym and keeping active, but persuading a small child that a long walk is a good idea usually takes a bit more imagination. Fortunately, when St Oswald’s Hospice brought the Great North Elmer Parade to Newcastle in 2019, I found the perfect solution. We weren’t going for a walk. We were going elephant hunting.

And not just any elephants. These were enormous, brightly coloured sculptures inspired by David McKee’s much-loved children’s character, Elmer. They were scattered across Newcastle and the surrounding area, turning familiar streets into an outdoor art gallery. For Cyrus, the challenge was finding as many as possible. For me, it was an opportunity to spend time with him, explore our city and get some exercise without having to negotiate every few hundred yards.

The fact that there were occasional treats along the way really helped. I may be enthusiastic about fitness, but I’m also realistic about the motivational power of a chocolate star.

Twenty-five elephants, a handful of little rewards and one very determined explorer. Sometimes getting children moving is a matter of giving them something worth looking for.

The Great North Elmer Parade featured around 50 large elephant sculptures, alongside smaller designs, each decorated by artists and inspired by the colourful character from David McKee’s books. The trail was organised to raise funds for St Oswald’s Hospice, which provides specialist care and support for people with life-limiting conditions and their families.

I’ve always liked Elmer. Beneath the colourful illustrations is a message about being different and learning to accept yourself. It’s something I appreciate even more as a parent when I remember how difficult childhood can be for anyone who doesn’t quite fit in. But Cyrus wanted to find elephants, and that was quite enough to be getting on with.

Before we set off, we downloaded the Elmer Trail app and picked up a £1 map from Newcastle Central Library. We also took an Elmer storybook, which proved to be one of the best things we packed. Cyrus could stop beside the sculptures and read to them, giving each elephant a little more attention than it might otherwise have received.

I loved watching him take the whole business so seriously. There was a map to follow, elephants to find and a story to tell. We had a plan, even if the pace was entirely dictated by a small boy.

One of the cleverest features of the trail was its app, which allowed children to unlock each elephant as they found it. Cyrus quickly got the hang of it, and the prospect of discovering another sculpture became enough to keep him moving.

There were also little rewards available at various points along the route. Greggs offered pencils and a colour-in Elmer, Leazes Financial Services in Eldon Gardens provided jelly beans, and we collected a badge courtesy of the artist behind Barker & Stonehouse’s elephant.

These weren’t extravagant prizes, but they made a difference. Every new elephant became another small achievement, and Cyrus was delighted whenever he discovered something extra.

We also stopped for a chocolate star at Greggs. I could argue that it was essential fuel for our expedition, although I’m not sure anyone would believe me.

What struck me most was how easily the trail turned a walk through Newcastle into something Cyrus genuinely wanted to do. Instead of asking when we were going home, he wanted to know where the next elephant was hiding.

By the time we’d found 25 sculptures, he had developed some very definite favourites.

The parade was about much more than colourful elephants and getting children outdoors. Every sculpture formed part of a fundraising initiative for St Oswald’s Hospice, a North East charity supporting people and families facing serious illness.

I liked the fact that families could take part in something enjoyable while contributing to awareness of an organisation doing important work in our community.

There was no need to spend a fortune on entertainment. We had our map, the app and plenty of elephants to discover. The trail gave us a reason to visit different parts of Newcastle and notice things we might ordinarily have passed without much thought.

It also reminded me how much children enjoy having something to work towards. Cyrus wasn’t interested in how far we’d walked or whether we’d achieved a particular number of steps. He was interested in finding the next elephant.

Our elephant adventure ended with a visit to Elmer’s Farewell Weekend at Newcastle Racecourse, where the sculptures were brought together before the charity auction.

Having spent so much time searching for them around Newcastle, it was lovely to see the elephants gathered in one place. Cyrus was particularly pleased, although his approach to saying goodbye was rather more affectionate than I’d anticipated.

He decided to kiss every elephant he could reach.

There he was, moving from sculpture to sculpture, planting kisses on enormous painted trunks as though he were bidding farewell to a collection of old friends. I couldn’t help laughing. We’d spent weeks finding these elephants, and now he was determined to give them all a proper send-off.

For me, that was one of the highlights of the whole experience. Children have a wonderful way of becoming attached to things adults might regard as temporary attractions. To Cyrus, these weren’t simply sculptures waiting to be auctioned. They were his elephants.

The Great North Elmer Parade concluded with the Big Elmer Charity Auction at Sage Gateshead on Tuesday, 12 November 2019. The large sculptures were sold to raise further funds for St Oswald’s Hospice, bringing the public art project to a close.

I would still love to know where some of our favourite elephants ended up. After spending so much time finding them across Newcastle, it’s rather nice to imagine them continuing to brighten up homes, businesses and other spaces.

If you bought one of the sculptures, do get in touch. I’d love to hear where it found its permanent home.

Looking back, the Great North Elmer Parade remains one of my favourite family outings. It combined so many things I enjoy: walking, exploring Newcastle, children’s books and spending time with Cyrus without having to organise an expensive day out.

We found 25 elephants, collected a few small treats, read stories and supported a charity doing valuable work in the North East. Most importantly, Cyrus enjoyed himself so much that the walking barely registered.

As a mum who loves keeping active, I couldn’t have asked for much more. I’m always looking for ways to encourage Cyrus to enjoy exercise, but this adventure reminded me that children don’t necessarily need to know they’re being active. Give them something interesting to discover and they’ll often do the rest.

Of course, the jelly beans and chocolate star probably helped.

Our family rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

The Great North Elmer Parade was a brilliant family experience, combining art, storytelling, outdoor activity and fundraising. We enjoyed every minute, and Cyrus’s enthusiastic farewell kisses made it all the more memorable.

You can see more photographs from our adventure on Instagram at @ofsaffronandcyrus.

Have you ever taken your children on a sculpture trail or discovered a free family activity that kept them entertained for hours? I’d love to hear about your favourite North East adventures.

Editorial disclosure: This article forms part of a collaboration. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Editor’s note: This article looks back at the Great North Elmer Parade, which took place in 2019. The trail and charity auction have now concluded.

Occasional stories, experiments, discoveries and questions from Saffron & Cyrus.