Bristol Initiative Members champion creativity and community through Gromit Unleashed 3

Anonymous Author Business West
11 July 2025

This summer, Bristol will once again host Gromit Unleashed, the city's celebrated public art trail that combines creativity, community engagement and charitable giving.

From 30 June to 31 August 2025, residents and visitors will have the opportunity to discover 53 uniquely decorated sculptures across the city while supporting Bristol Children's Hospital through Bristol Initiative Members,The Grand Appeal. 

The Grand Appeal celebrates 30 years of partnership with Aardman, using the iconic duo Wallace & Gromit to spearhead fundraising for Bristol Children’s Hospital and St Michael’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Bristol Children's Hospital treats over 140,000 young patients annually from across the South West and South Wales, pioneering advancements in paediatric care for complex conditions. 

The charity's funding has brought groundbreaking equipment including Europe's first paediatric Cardiac Hybrid Theatre and supports family accommodation, specialist staff, and therapeutic programmes to improve patient experience.

As an organisation committed to demonstrating how business can be a force for good, The Bristol Initiative is pleased to highlight the significant involvement of its members in delivering this year's trail. Their participation as headline sponsors, sculpture hosts and cultural partners exemplifies how Bristol's business community contributes not only to economic growth but also to the city's cultural vibrancy and social impact. 

Key Supporters Enabling the Trail 

This year's Gromit Unleashed 3 has been made possible through the support of two principal sponsors from our membership: 

  • First Bus, providing essential transport connections between sculpture locations 
  • Rolls-Royce plc, representing Bristol's engineering excellence and innovative spirit 

Their sponsorship ensures the trail remains accessible to all while generating vital funds for Bristol Children's Hospital. 

A selection of the sculptures sponsored by our members

Members Supporting this Year’s Trail

Several Bristol Initiative and Business West Chamber members are sponsoring and/or hosting a sculpture this summer: 

  • Aardman (Gas Ferry Road)
  • Aerospace Bristol 
  • Ashton Gate Stadium 
  • Brabazon
  • Bristol BIDs
  • Burges Salmon
  • Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
  • Cabot Circus 
  • Cribbs Mall
  • Hargreaves Lansdown 
  • Renishaw
  • S&W
  • VWV
  • We The Curious 

We’ve seen sculptures that are gracing the offices and grounds of some of our members, and we think this is the best trail yet for fans of Bristol’s famous stop-motion duo.

A Bristolian Success Story

Since its inception in 2013, Gromit Unleashed has: 

  • Generated £20 million in funding for Bristol Children's Hospital 
  • Fostered collaboration between businesses, artists and the public 
  • Enhanced Bristol's reputation as a centre for creativity and innovation 

This year's trail is also celebrating the 2024 release of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, the first Wallace & Gromit film in almost 17 years since A Matter of Loaf & Death in 2008. The new movie introduced us to Norbot, the smart gnome, who will appear alongside Wallace, Gromit and series villain Feathers McGraw in the sculpture trail. 

Engaging With the Trail 

We encourage you to share sightings of sculptures hosted by Bristol Initiative members with us on LinkedIn – please do tag us as we would love to see them. Find more details on how to explore the Trail here.

This October, the sculptures will also be auctioned to businesses and private individuals, presenting a further opportunity to contribute to this important cause while acquiring a unique piece of Bristol's cultural heritage. 

Through initiatives like Gromit Unleashed 3, Bristol's business community continues to demonstrate how commercial success, and social value can progress hand in hand, creating lasting benefits for the city and its residents.