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
The Dartford Bear Hunt Auction, taking place on 1 October 2026, is your exclusive opportunity to give one of our stunning Bear Sculptures a forever home! Join us for an evening of celebration and bid on a beautifully and uniquely decorated sculpture to make your own — all while supporting your local hospice.
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. Your engagement in the auction makes a real difference.
Register your interest today to be the first to hear when auction tickets go on sale, and to start choosing the lot you will be bidding on!
And don’t forget to save the date – 1 October 2026
dartfordbearhunt.co.uk/auction
#auctioninkent #kentauctions #wildinartauction #dartfordbearhunt #eventsinkent
Loved the Dartford Bear Hunt? 🐻
We’d love to hear what you thought! ellenor wants to understand your experience and what we could do even better next time.
Our survey takes just 10–15 minutes, and your feedback could help shape future trails and experiences.
👉 Fill in the survey here via our link in bio
Thank you 🧡
#dartfordbearhunt #ellenor #arttrail
Thinking about bidding on a bear? Take some advice from the expert…
What should you do before an auction? How do you choose the right bear? And can an experienced auctioneer really tell when you’re about to bid again?
Ahead of the Dartford Bear Hunt Auction, TV auctioneer Catherine Southon @catherinesouthonauctioneers shares her top tips for first-time bidders from doing your homework and choosing the bear that really speaks to you, to what actually happens when the bidding gets competitive.
And you don’t even need to be in the room to take part – online bidding means you can join in from home too.
Whether you’ve got your eye on a favourite bear or you’re simply curious about what happens when the hammer comes down, Catherine’s advice is well worth a read.
👉 Tap the link in bio for Catherine`s Bear Hunt auction tips!
Every successful bid will help raise vital funds for ellenor, supporting babies, children, adults and families across North Kent and Bexley. 🧡
#dartfordbearhunt #ellenor #bearauction #CatherineSouthon #dartford
Celebrate World Gratitude Day by saying a huge thank you to everyone who has made the Dartford Bear Hunt possible. 🐻
This incredible community art trail has been brought to life thanks to the passion, generosity and dedication of so many amazing people.
To our sponsors, thank you for your incredible support and for helping us create an experience that brings families together while raising awareness of ellenor and the vital care we provide.
To our talented artists, thank you for sharing your creativity and imagination, transforming each bear into a unique work of art for the community to enjoy.
To our wonderful volunteers, thank you for giving your time, energy and support throughout the trail, helping make every part of this adventure possible.
And to everyone who has taken part, shared a photo, explored the trail or helped spread the word, thank you for being part of the Dartford Bear Hunt story.
Together, you have helped create something truly special for Dartford and helped shine a light on ellenor’s work supporting local families when they need us most.
We are incredibly grateful.
Find out more about the trail at dartfordbearhunt.co.uk
#WorldGratitudeDay #DartfordBearHunt #ellenor #WildInArt #ThankYou #CommunitySpirit #Dartford
The Dartford Bear Hunt Auction, taking place on 1 October 2026, is your exclusive opportunity to give one of our stunning Bear Sculptures a forever home! Join us for an evening of celebration and bid on a beautifully and uniquely decorated sculpture to make your own — all while supporting your local hospice.
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. Your engagement in the auction makes a real difference.
Register your interest today to be the first to hear when auction tickets go on sale, and to start choosing the lot you will be bidding on!
dartfordbearhunt.co.uk/auction
#auctioninkent #kentauction #dartfordbearhunt #eventsinkent #auctions
Although the trail has ended, did you know you can actually see them all together one last time, and even buy one?
The sculptures will be brought together for a special farewell event, giving visitors one last chance to admire them before they find their forever homes and then auctioned off, so you can buy your favourite bear.
Find out more via visiting dartfordbearhunt.co.uk
#arttrail #dartfordbearhunt #ellenor
While Dartford was sleeping, the bears were on the move!
After an incredible summer on the Dartford Bear Hunt trail, it was time for our bears to leave their homes across the town and begin the next part of their journey.
Under the cover of darkness, our team carefully lifted, loaded and transported the bears, with a little help from some seriously big equipment!
A huge thank you to @pentagonfreightservices for helping us make the magic happen and ensuring our bears made their journey safely.
But don’t worry… this isn’t goodbye!
The bears are now enjoying some paw-fect pampering at the ‘Bear Necessities Spa’, getting themselves looking their very best before they’re reunited for one final spectacular appearance at our Farewell Weekend.
Excited to see them all together? Join us at our Farewell Weekend: https://dartfordbearhunt.co.uk/event/farewell-weekend/
#dartfordbearhunt #arttrail #ellenor
🐻 “People often think an auction is about what something’s worth. Actually, it’s usually the story behind it that gives it its value.” @catherinesouthon
For auctioneer and familiar TV face Catherine Southon, the Dartford Bear Hunt is about much more than what happens when the hammer falls.
From a childhood encounter with author Michael Rosen, to reading We’re Going on a Bear Hunt to her own children, Catherine shares why this particular auction struck a chord with her and why her own experience of hospice care has made ellenor’s work especially meaningful.
She also takes us behind the scenes of her fascinating career, which has seen her auction everything from John Lennon’s glasses to Winston Churchill’s cigars and reveals why it’s always been the stories behind the objects that interest her most.
👉 Read the full interview with Catherine via our link in bio
#dartfordbearhunt #ellenor #CatherineSouthon #dartford
We’re going on an Art Hunt—are you coming?
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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.
