‘Oor inclusive’ Wullie joins BIG Bucket Trail as a lesson in togetherness

When the long-awaited BIG Bucket Trail is launched in Dundee this week, one statue is bound to win the public’s hearts.

‘Oor inclusive’ Wullie, as he has been dubbed, is a unique version of the popular fictional character Oor Wullie – the result of an inter-generational project with a difference, bringing together young and old in an inspirational art programme.

 

Care home residents from Balhousie Care Group, which is sponsoring Oor Inclusive Wullie, have worked with schoolchildren from Dundee, Angus and Perthshire to create a patchwork design inspired by the city, its textile heritage and its strong togetherness culture.

The statue has individual patches decoupaged onto it to make up the fabric of Oor Wullie’s infamous dungarees. The artist behind the concept is That Girl Gail, aka Gail Melville, who works at Balhousie Care Group. Gail and the group’s Dementia Nurse Advisor Emma Roberts, who came up with the idea, led a series of intergenerational creative workshops to create the patches.

Gail said: “My design is a conceptual piece that aims to tell several stories.  ‘Oor Inclusive’, as he’s affectionately named, represents the many layers that make up all of us as people and drives home the idea that individually we each have something of value to offer but, no matter the obstacles we may face, when we work together the outcome or the ‘fabric’ becomes stronger.

“This project is also a celebration of Dundee, the home of Oor Wullie, and its textile history. Many of our residents worked in the jute mills of Dundee so it’s a particularly poignant project for them to take part in.”

The workshops took place in a number of the group’s 25 homes across Dundee, Angus and Perthshire. ‘Oor Inclusive’ joins a trail of other Oor Wullie statues in Dundee, one of the host cities of Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail, launched today (Monday June 17). He will be on display at Dundee’s Overgate shopping centre.

The award-winning Balhousie Care Group is recognised as a leader in dementia care practices. Balhousie Care was a sponsor of the original Oor Wullie Bucket Trail in 2016.

Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail, Scotland’s first ever national art trail runs for 11 weeks. It will raise funds for Scotland’s children’s hospital charities.

Claire Docherty, Head of Operations at Balhousie Care Group, said: “We’re delighted to be sponsoring Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail and to help raise money for children’s hospital charities in Scotland. It was important to us to support a design concept that spoke to our company values and strengths. With its inter-generational focus and messages of support and strength, ‘Oor Inclusive’ and Gail’s concept ticks all the boxes. We’re thrilled with how he’s turned out and can’t wait for him to spread a message of togetherness and cross-generational bonding.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For further information contact Gillian Drummond on gillian.drummond@balhousiecare.co.uk  Tel: 01738 254254 x 223 or 07365 284994