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Local community show the love for St Catherine's HeART to Heart!

St Catherine's Hospice HeART to Heart community art trail launched last month. And the response has been amazing! Headline sponsored by Thakeham, the trail has encouraged local people to get involved in many different ways.

The trail, which comprises 26 giant hearts and 11 smaller hearts, spans across Crawley, Horsham, Reigate and East Grinstead. Just some of the areas across West Sussex and East Surrey where the local hospice provides expert end of life care.

HeART to Heart, which is supported by an app and trail map, encourages visitors to find each heart to collect a code and earn a reward. The app is available on both Apple and Android and has already been downloaded more than 1,200 times. While heart hunters have unlocked the 26 hearts an incredible 7,000 times!

Hannah Liles, Event Project's Fundraiser at St Catherine's said: "We're delighted with the way our local community have engaged with HeART to Heart. And now the summer holidays are here it's the perfect opportunity to get out on the trail. Download our app to get heart hunting and don't forget to share your wonderful pictures with us @hearttrailuk!"

Alongside the trail, St Catherine's has launched The Hub; a shop and art studio in County Mall Shopping Centre, Crawley. The Hub has welcomed HeART to Heart artists and sponsors, as well as other local art groups and businesses to host free, creative workshops for everyone to enjoy.

So far the workshops have included a variety of art forms such as papercraft with art group Stampin' Up UK, watercolour and acrylic painting with Crawley Art Society, and a design your own heart competition during hub takeovers from Freeman Brothers, Mayo Wynne Baxter, Coole Bevis and Thakeham.

Becky Hughes, Community Co-ordinator at Freeman Brothers, said: "Our team have already run two Hub takeover days as part of our involvement in HeART to Heart. Lots of families flowed in and out of the Hub and I enjoyed watching them interact together via the art activities on offer. Hospice volunteers provided people with further information about the trail too. There's so much to explore, including our beautiful Keepsake heart!"

If you would like to get involved in fun, free and creative workshops during the summer holidays simply pop by The Hub on level 2 of County Mall and get stuck in. For a list of upcoming workshops please visit www.stch.org.uk/hearts.

The Hub also has exclusive trail merchandise for sale including a HeART to Heart colouring book featuring heart designs. All money from this will support St Catherine's.

Following the HeART to Heart trail, St Catherine's will be holding a Farewell Exhibition. Taking place on the 25 and 26 October 2019, this is the only chance to see all of the stunning hearts in one location, at the Effingham Park Hotel near Gatwick. Tickets to the Farewell Exhibition are limited and expected to sell fast, so make sure you book early at www.stch.org.uk/hearts.

After this, there will be chance for people to take one of the beautiful hearts home forever at the Have a Heart exclusive live auction on Wednesday 30 October 2019. All money from the auction will provide care to local terminally ill people when it's needed most. To register your interest in attending the auction, please email heart@stch.org.uk.

For further information please visit www.stch.org.uk/hearts, And be sure to share your photos of the hearts and at The Hub with St Catherine's by tagging @hearttrailuk.

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