The Herald joined fellow sponsors and artists last Friday night for a hog fest to celebrate the town’s major fundraising project in aid of the four nominated charities of its mayor, Sahran Abeysundara.
The party for Haslemere Hogs was hosted by Barons BMW Hindhead and featured some of the most eye-catching fibreglass pigs so far from a limited edition of 60 to be decorated by their sponsors. The entire 60-strong ‘customised’ herd will go on public display at Haslemere Museum on April Fool’s Day and the grand finale with a fundraising auction will be held at Undershaw, one home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and now Stepping Stones School, on July 4.
The Hogs Back Brewery is one of the many organisations, schools and individuals sponsoring the scheme and took delivery of its new ‘snorter’ at the party.
Project organiser Brian Howard told guests 18 schools were now on board and busy decorating their very own prize pigs, and much-loved children’s author Julia Donaldson was helping Stepping Stones pupils to create a ‘Gruffalo’ hog.
Mr Howard said: “We are hoping to get Harley Davidson Hogsback Chapter to sponsor a hog and we now have a connection with Tottenham Hotspur and could have a ‘Trotter Ham Hog Spur’.“
Thanking everyone for their support, Sahran said: “Not only has this put Haslemere on the map it raises awareness and funds for four charities.
“One of them is Haslemere Ha’Penny Trust, which was set up as a way the town council can support the community and it will directly benefit the town.”
• For more information go to www.haslemerehogs.co.uk.