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July
2016.
Bucket Trail to Major Tim: City of Discovery Sends Odd Space Message to Tim Peak

Bucket Trail to Major Tim: City of Discovery Sends Odd Space Message to Tim Peake
 

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A video appeal with a specially written version of David Bowie's Space Oddity intended to encourage Major Tim Peake on a voyage of discovery to Dundee to take part in Oor Wullie's Bucket Trail has clocked up almost 3000 views on Facebook in less than 24 hours.

Dundee is playing host to Oor Wullie's Bucket Trail, a huge public art celebration in which 55 sculptures of Oor Wullie, an iconic comic character, have been placed throughout the city. The public is being asked to locate the sculptures, each of which is painted by an artist and sponsored by a business, and located at significant landmarks throughout the city. The unique designs are inspired by everything from Elvis and Marilyn Monroe to local delicacy the Tunnock's Tea Cake. But the one that Major Tim is likely to warm to is Astro Wullie, an astronaut version of Oor Wullie inspired by Tim Peake himself.

Through an online video created by Volpa, the marketing agency sponsoring Astro Wullie, Major Peake is being invited to "tak a trip to Dundee's Bucket Trail" along to a soundtrack which is a customised version of David Bowie's Space Oddity. Also lending support to the campaign to get Major Peake to visit is Oor Bowie, a Bowie-inspired version of Oor Wullie.

Dubbed The City of Discovery after Captain Scott's famous Antarctic exploration vessel docked in Dundee's new, improved waterfront, Dundee will have all eyes on it this summer as Oor Wullie's Bucket Trail gets underway. The event is being organised by The ARCHIE Foundation along with partners Wild in Art and DC Thomson. Money raised will go to The ARCHIE Foundation's Tayside Children's Hospital Appeal.

Although Tim Peake, who is usually very active on social media, hasn't posted for a couple of days, the team are hopeful that he'll be in touch via the social platform that he used extensively while on the International Space Station for the last six months.

Tricia Fox, managing director of Volpa, which has donated its public relations services to the Bucket Trail and in sponsoring the Astro Wullie sculpture, said:

"Major Tim really made the grade with his six-month space station mission, so much so that he inspired his very own Oor Wullie sculpture. We think Tim now knows which way to go and that's towards Dundee, the Oor Wullie Bucket Trail and one of the city's most important public art events. He's said that his trip to the space station and the journey back to Earth was the best ride he's been on. And while we can't promise to top that journey into space and back, we can promise another important, and fun, journey here in Dundee. Can you hear us Major Tim? We'd love you to join us here in the City of Discovery."

Oor Wullie's Bucket Trail, which launched officially this week, takes place throughout Dundee over the next 10 weeks, with life-sized Oor Wullie sculptures placed in dedicated locations around the city. At the end of the trail the sculptures will be sold at a September auction with all proceeds going to The ARCHIE Foundation's appeal to raise funds to create a brand new twin operating theatre paediatric surgical suite for the Tayside Children's Hospital at Ninewells.

Members of the public can follow the trail using an official Bucket Trail app. Along the way they are being encouraged to take selfies of their sightings of the mischievous comic scamp, created in Dundee by publisher DC Thomson. A group of Oor Wullie sculptures will also be taking part in a national tour in association with Scotrail.

To find out more about Oor Wullie's Bucket Trail, visit www.oorwulliebuckettrail.com

For further information about the work of The ARCHIE Foundation, visit www.archiefoundationhome.org.uk