We’ve had the big ones, now it’s the turn of their small – but equally important – cousins!
A recent shipment from abroad saw the delivery of 29 giant panda sculptures to a secret location close to Cambridge – set to grace the streets of the city for Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust’s (ACT’s) Panda Meander art trail in March 2027, raising money for children’s services at Addenbrooke’s and the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital.
Last week, 39 panda cubs were delivered to the grounds of Cambridge City Football club, ahead of a special ‘Inspiration workshop’ for the schools and community groups who have signed up to decorate a cub as part of ACT’s Schools and Community Group Programme (Cub Club), sponsored by Prologis.
After a morning’s photographic session on the pitch, the cubs were taken back inside, where Wild in Art led a hands-on workshop, giving practical guidance and tips on how to decorate the cubs.
As well as being shown how to decorate their cubs, schools and community groups taking part were given a talk by a team of Cambridge Children’s Hospital staff, who updated them on the progress of the new hospital and how signing up to Panda Meander will help bring the specialist children’s hospital to the region.
Schools from across Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire have signed up to be part of the Panda Meander Trail, including both primaries and secondaries.
The trail will be accessible to all with both mainstream and SEND schools/organisations taking part in the Cub Club, including Rowan Humberstone, an arts-centred organisation focusing on adults with learning disabilities, and Pilgrim Pathways, an alternative school provider at Addenbrooke’s.
SEND schools taking part are: The Castle School in Cambridge, Riverwalk School, Martin Bacon Academy, and Prestley Wood Academy.
Panda Meander will hit the streets of Cambridge from 20 March to 30 May 2027 – with 30 giant panda sculptures, and 39 panda ‘cubs’ - taking trail visitors around some of Cambridge’s most iconic landmarks.
Panda Meander will be the city’s third sculpture trail and is brought to the city by ACT and Wild in Art – with proceeds going towards making children’s services at Addenbrooke’s even better and building Cambridge Children’s Hospital, the first specialist children’s hospital in the east of England.
The East of England is the only region in the UK without a specialist children’s hospital. This unique new hospital, to be built on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, will be the first in the world to fully integrate the mental and physical health of young patients, alongside world-leading research.
Cambridge Children’s Hospital will be spread over five floors and include 108 inpatient beds, 16 paediatric intensive care beds, 42 day-case beds, seven operating theatres, imaging and diagnostics, a hospital school and a 5,000 square metre research institute.
Sophie Thomas, ACT’s Cub Club Leader, said: “It was very exciting to welcome all 39 Cub Club members to our Cub Club Inspiration workshop and for our members to feel part of something truly special.
“The workshop ended with the moment everyone had been waiting for... Cub Club members collecting their panda cub sculptures to take back to their schools and groups!
“Their paw-some journey will now begin as pupils bring their ideas to life, and then see their imaginative creations proudly placed in our city-wide trail.”
Tom Osborne, Public Relations Manager for Prologis UK, said: “It was a real pleasure to meet the schools and community groups taking part in Panda Meander, hear their plans, and see Cub Club get under way at its first main event.
“As Panda Meander's Schools & Community Group Partner, Prologis is delighted to support a project that gives young people the chance to be creative, work together and contribute to something the whole city can enjoy. We look forward to seeing their creativity brought to life through their cub designs and to the trail helping raise funds for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust and the Cambridge Children’s Hospital.”
Alice Dewey, CEO at Cambridge City Football Club, said: “It was fantastic to host the Cub Club Inspiration Event, especially as we are also proud to participate and sponsor a Cub ourselves. We will be seeking design ideas from our players and supporters to decorate our Cub, and it will be available for fans and visitors to see at the end of the trail.
“We’re also thrilled to be supporting Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust as our charity of the year throughout this season, and we look forward to our ongoing collaboration with this amazing cause.”
HOW TO SUPPORT THE PANDA MEANDER TRAIL: Giant pandas from the trail will be auctioned off by Panda Meander’s Lead Trail Partner, Cheffins, at a special auction in June next year, with all funds going to children’s services at Addenbrooke’s and the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital. To follow the latest Panda Meander news go to: www.pandameander.co.uk
To donate to Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust go to: https://act4addenbrookes.org.uk/donate
