Trail App
Find and collect 31 Big Bears, 51 Bear Cubs and 1 special book bench. All while unlocking rewards and milestone rewards along the way. Plus the chance to get discounts on our exclusive Bear Hunt merchandise.
Dartford Bear Hunt Auction
The Bears are finding their forever homes on Thursday 1 October
Bid in person at Bluewater Village Marquee or online — online bidding is now open!.
Dartford Bear Hunt Raffle
For just £5 per ticket, you could take the adventure home and win a one-of-a-kind Bear Cub Sculpture from the Dartford Bear Hunt.
Memory bear
At the heart of this stunning art trail is ellenor’s Memory Bear, which offers individuals the chance to dedicate a name in memory of someone they love. Each name will become part of the sculpture itself creating a shared space for remembrance within the community.
Get Ready for a Bear-illiant Art Adventure!
This summer Dartford has been transformed by 31 stunning large Bear sculptures inspired by the beloved classic We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.
Designed by local and national artists, these Bears form an exciting, free public art trail through the town’s streets, parks, and open spaces.
Alongside them more than 50 Bear cubs, decorated by local schools and community groups, will be displayed in indoor locations such as museums, libraries, and storefronts, making this an event for the whole community!
Dartford bear hunt auction 1st October 2026
The Dartford Bear Hunt is coming to its spectacular finale.
On Thursday 1 October, our Bears will find their forever homes at the Dartford Bear Hunt Auction — with the option to join us in person or bid online from wherever you are.
Online bidding is now open.
Working with Walker Books
We are delighted to be working with The Walker Books Group to bring We’re Going on a Bear Hunt to Life!
This beautiful, hand-drawn animation based on the classic book by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury follows the intrepid adventures of a family of children as they venture through whirling snowstorms, oozing mud and dark forests in search of bears…
‘This is an exciting and unique opportunity for ellenor to partner with Walker Books and the beloved classic, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.
Based on our experience, this partnership is a perfect fit for Dartford, offering not only a high-profile, family-friendly theme but also the potential to create a truly engaging and successful art trail.
It’s a wonderful chance to bring people together, celebrate creativity, and raise valuable funds for ellenor’s work in the process’.
Charlie Langhorne MD and co-Founder Wild in Art
Join the conversation #dartfordbearhunt
We have a winner!
Our Art Trail Dartford Going on a Bear Hunt Raffle has a lucky winner!
A huge congratulations to our winner, who is taking home the most amazing hamper packed full of goodies! We hope you enjoy every bit of it!
A massive thank you to everyone who bought a raffle ticket and supported our Art Trail. Your kindness and generosity really do make a difference.
Every penny raised goes towards supporting ellenor, your local hospice charity, helping us be there for local families when they need us most.
Thank you for being part of something so special!
Find out more at ellenor.org
“It felt like a warm hug“…
Nearly 17 years after losing his mum, Linda, Chris Ward has never forgotten the care and comfort ellenor gave his family during one of the hardest times of their lives.
Now, with the support of his employer, Ocean Outdoor, Chris is giving something back, helping us reach more people through the We’re Going on a Bear Hunt art trail we had this Summer, with advertising space worth £20,000.
His story is a beautiful reminder that the kindness shown during life’s hardest moments can stay with us forever.
Read Chris’s heartwarming story at ellenor.org/oceanoutdoors
#arttrail #ellenor #donations #fundraising #fundraiser #supporter
Tiny Bear Auction, Raising £2,150 for Local Families 🧸❤️
We are so pleased to announce that the Tiny Bear Auction, which closed on Friday 23rd October, raised a fantastic total of £2150 through the sales of 9 miniature sculptures!
We want to say a massive thank you to all of the generous bidders who contributed to this total, the money raised will allow ellenor to continue to support local families when they need us most.
Visit ellenor.org to see more events coming up
#thingstodoinkent #kentevents #ellenorevents #charity #charityinkent
Couldn`t afford a big bear? Grab a mini one here!
Our Tiny Paint Your Own Bears have had a very special makeover, with talented artists including Stephen Oliver bringing their own creative flair to these little works of art.
The Tiny Bear Auction is now LIVE, giving you the chance to bid for your favourite bear and take home a completely unique piece of the Dartford Bear Hunt.
Bids from £75 start here
https://dartford.wildinartauctions.com/auctions/catalog/id/136/Dartford-Bear-Hunt-The-Tiny-Bear-Auction
#DartfordBearHunt #TinyBearAuction #WildInArt #Ellenor #BearHunt #ArtAuction #TinyBears #StephenOliver
A huge thank you to you all for joining the art trail, downloading the app or even buying merch. Every bit of support throughout the summer has been amazing in raising funds and awareness for ellenor.
You can learn more about our hospice charity at ellenor.org
#ellenor #hospiceinkent #kentcharity #kenthospice
The bear hunt was such an amazing experience across the summer, we are so grateful to see the bears out across Dartford and Bluewater, raising awareness and donations for hospice charity ellenor.
We loved even more seeing the bears go to their forever homes at our Auction this October. The bid`s for our bears were incredible to see, as all funds go towards the hospice, @ellenorcharity
Thank you to photographer of the evening Max, who works alongside Nick, from the @imagewksphoto
#wildinart #fundraising #ellenor
A bear is finally in it`s new home!
Who else bought a bear? Tag us in some photos, so we can see where your bear has found it`s new home.
Remember you can still buy a mini bear, via here
https://dartford.wildinartauctions.com/auctions/catalog/id/136/Dartford-Bear-Hunt-The-Tiny-Bear-Auction
#auction #fundraising #donations #ellenor #hospiceinkent
And the Winners Are In…..
🐻 First Prize
1 x Dartford Bear Hunt Bear Sculpture
Winning ticket number: 30452
Plus our additional prize winners:
🐻 2 x Bear Keeper Experiences at Wildwood Trust
Winning ticket number: 10093
Winning ticket number: 10283
🐻 1 x Showcase Cinema Family Ticket (for 4 people)
Winning ticket number: 10037
🐻 1 x Dartford Bear Hunt Merchandise Hamper
Winning ticket number: 10272
Congratulations to all our winners!
Winners will be contacted directly using the contact details provided when purchasing their raffle tickets.
Thanks to everyone who purchased tickets or made an additional donation, we’ve raised £5,100 through the Dartford Bear Hunt Raffle. Your support helps ellenor be there for local people and their families when they need us most – providing compassionate care, support and reassurance through some of life’s most difficult moments.
Thank you for helping us make sure no one has to face it alone.
#wildinart #fundraising #dartfordbearhunt #ellenor
We’re going on an Art Hunt—are you coming?
Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to receive updates along the way!
Our Sponsors & Partners
YOUR DONATIONS CREATE REAL CHANGE
ellenor needs £9.6 million each year to continue caring and supporting thousands of patients and families facing life limiting and life-threatening illness in Kent. We are a charity that relies on the generosity of our local community. Your donation however big or small makes a real difference to patients and their families.
Walker books
Walker Books UK is part of the vibrant international The Walker Books Group that includes Walker Books Australia, Candlewick Press, Holiday House and Peachtree Press in the USA.
Walker Books UK is an award-winning publisher making magical new stories for children of all ages. For generations, they have been the home of stories that feel both classic and fresh. From beautiful picture books to curl up with at bedtime to rib-tickling middle grade adventures, and from epic fantasy thrillers to fascinating, expansive non-fiction, there is something in their range of bestselling books for everyone.
The major bestselling brands for the group are We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Guess How Much I Love You, Maisy, the widely acclaimed Judy Moody, and the phenomenal Where’s Wally? /Where’s Waldo?
Lupus Films
Multi award-winning London-based studio Lupus Films was set up by Camilla Deakin and Ruth Fielding in 2002 and has since grown to become one of the world’s leading film and television production companies.
The company specialises in high quality family entertainment and adaptations of much-loved works of children’s literature, such as BAFTA nominated half-hour specials THE SNOWMAN AND THE SNOWDOG, WE’RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT, MOG’S CHRISTMAS and THE TIGER WHO CAME TO TEA, which won an International Kids Emmy® Award.
Lupus Films has produced a number of animated feature films including the award-winning ETHEL & ERNEST, based on the autobiographical graphic novel by Raymond Briggs; KENSUKE’S KINGDOM, an adaptation of the bestselling children’s novel by Michael Morpurgo, and THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS IN WONDERLAND, based on the popular picture-book by Carys Bexington and Kate Hindley.