Hop to it!
Published 19 March 2025
What is Hop to It?
Following Ipswich’s success with Pigs Gone Wild, Elmer’s Big Parade and the Big Hoot, St Elizabeth Hospice has announced its fourth art trail – Hop to it! Suffolk 2025.
This year, the trail will not only return to Ipswich but will also extend to neighbouring ‘satellite locations’ including Woodbridge, Felixstowe, Beccles, and Lowestoft for the first time.
When will this happen?
Hop to it! Suffolk 2025 will take place between June 21 and August 29, 2025.
What is it for?
It raises money for St Elizabeth Hospice's which provides essential services far and wide across Suffolk. Like hares darting through the countryside, hospice staff provide compassionate care in towns, villages, and rural areas. Only 20% of their money comes from Government sources. The rest is raised voluntarily.
What will be happening?
On June 21 all hares - two large and around 17 smaller will appear around Woodbridge. The large ones will be in prominent open areas and the 17 smaller ones in various shop windows around the town. They will form a trail round our town for families and individuals to follow and find. A free app will be available to help with this. More information will be provided in due course.
As with previous trails, the money raised by this sponsorship and the numerous fund raising activities which will be happening across Suffolk, goes to St Elizabeth Hospice.
Anglia Rail are promoting travel to all the towns involved.
We hope there will be various events taking place, run by those organisations who are sponsoring hares.
Anyone can organize their own informal events to raise money for this most worthy cause.
How is the Town Council involved?
The Town Council has sponsored one of the large hares – which comes with two small leverets. These have been painted by three local professional artists. The themes remain a secret until their arrival!
The Youth Council from its budget, has paid the £100 sponsorship fee for each of the primary and secondary schools in Woodbridge. They each now have a small hare to paint and decorate for display round the town.
As part of the deal, all sponsors commit to raising money for St Elizabeth Hospice. The Woodbridge Youth Council have committed to raising £2000 which is the Town Council’s contribution. This will be through a two day Craft and Gift Fair in the Shire Hall and Market Place, on the 21st and 22nd June. This will be indoors in the Shire Hall and outdoors in the Market Square. The poster for the event is provided below - anyone wishing to trade at the event should contact Cllr. Mike Sutton - [email protected] for more information.
What does it mean for Woodbridge?
Fun! Hop to it! Suffolk 2025, aims to bring communities together for a vibrant, family-friendly event. It's a chance for everyone to look forward to and enjoy a colourful celebration.
What will these hares look like?
The large hares (and the two smaller ones which come with sponsorship of the large one) are painted by professional artists. They cover a wide range of themes which we cannot reveal until launch day! You can find more about our three artists painting our large and two small ones here:
Artist 1 - Helen Naylor
Artist 2 - Laura Jayne Fisk
Artist 3 - Harriet Memory
What happens at the end of the event?
The event finishes at the end of August and all the large hares go to Ipswich to be auctioned. The money raised goes to St Elizabeth. The smaller ones are for their individual organisations to use as they see fit. The Town Council will be looking for good homes for our two small ones!
St Elizabeth Hospice is an independent Suffolk charity providing free services to improve life for people living with a progressive or life-limiting illness throughout East & Mid-Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney.
Centred on an individual's needs, the hospice provides specialist support, whenever and wherever it is needed, whether at home, in the community or at the hospice.
Find out more details about Hop to It! Suffolk 2025 and how you can support the trail by visiting: www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/hoptoitsuffolk