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Repair and restoration specialists Magicman help Martlets prepare Snowdogs by the Sea for their vital fund-raiser.  

For 10 weeks, 44 eye-catching giant dog sculptures inspired by the much loved animated short film, The Snowman ™  and The Snowdog, have been displayed around Brighton and Hove. Their purpose to raise money for and the profile of Martlets Hospice. A 45th sculpture was installed on the concourse of Victoria Station in London.

Each colourful Snowdog has a name, was individually decorated by an artist and sponsored by a local business or celebrity. Collectively they formed a public art trail called Snowdogs by the Sea which began with RYCA designed and 80s boom box inspired Boomer, a silver and black Snowdog complete with a tape deck and active speakers, at the Big Beach Café, owned by its sponsor Fat Boy Slim.  Others include Lola, Pebbles, Marty, the Bowie tribute Bow Wow and the chrome covered Gizmo.

Now the unique sculptures have been removed from display and are to be auctioned  on Tuesday December 6th at 7pm to raise vital funds for the Martlets Hospice. It will be the first and last time that all Snowdog sculptures will be displayed together with the exception of the one, a sandcastle featuring The Snowman and The Snowdog that was positioned near Brighton Marina.

Before they can be put on sale, many of the Snowdogs require a bit of TLC thanks to their two months exposure to the elements and a much too enthusiastic reception from the public, some of whom have gone further than the obligatory selfie. Many sculptures have been climbed on, sat on, ridden and at times just hugged a little too intensely. And not always by children.

A flock of Snowdogs at the home of the Seagulls

This is why Magicman offered their services. They are an innovative company that specialises in repairing damage to all types of hard surfaces – wood, metal, uPVC, ceramic, laminate, stone, marble, glass and now even Snowdogs  - who just happen to be headquartered in Brighton and Hove.

As the recognised leading hard surface repair company in the UK, they were best placed to offer their expertise and experience in restoring almost any hard surface using their colour matching techniques. Magicman’s Head of Technical Services, and Stephen Shaw, Head Trainer at the Magicman Training Academy donated their time and expertise to help bring some individuals back from stray dog chic to best in show.

Martlets project manager Sarah Harvey said of Magicman’s contribution:

“We are so grateful to the Magicman team for helping us to restore our Snowdogs ready for our Farewell Weekend and Auction. All of our 44 Snowdogs have had an intensive groom, with some of our dogs requiring a bit more attention. The Magicman team have donated their time and expertise free of charge. We have been just overwhelmed by the support of our community and local business, together we have created such a successful Snowdogs by the Sea campaign and raised much need funds for the Martlets Hospice.“  

Several staff at Magicman have a direct connection with Martlets. Friends, family and even a former member of staff have all received care from the hospice. We were grateful for the opportunity to help.

Magicman Group CEO Mark Henderson said:

“The Snowdogs by the Sea art trail has had such a positive impact on the city, there was even one placed just around the corner from our head office which caught our attention. We were keen to get involved in the project and delighted to offer our expertise to assist with repairs before the Snowdogs are auctioned off to raise money for a fantastic local charity, Martlets Hospice.”

A ticketed event takes place at Brighton Dome Corn Exchange on Tuesday 6th December at 7pm. Tickets are £20 and in limited supply. Interested parties can register their interest by emailing [email protected] or from 6:15pm at the venue immediately prior to the auction.

Grooming Gizmo

Useful links:

Snowdogs auction snowdogauction.co.uk

Snowdogs by the Sea snowdogsbythesea.co.uk

Magicman website: magicman.co.uk

About Martlets Hospice and Snowdogs by the Sea

Martlets teamed up with Wild in Art to stage an extraordinary public art trail in Brighton & Hove. The magical sculpture trail featured more than 40 large-scale Snowdog sculptures, inspired by the much loved animated short film, The Snowman and The Snowdog.  The sculptures beautifully decorated by artists and generously sponsored by local businesses, were on show from 24th September – 27th November in streets, parks and surprising locations around Brighton & Hove. They were joined by a pack of mini Snowdog puppies designed by local school children.  Now that the art trail has finished, the Snowdog sculptures will be auctioned to raise funds for Martlets Hospice.  In addition, at the same time a further trail of specially created Snowdogs will also go on display throughout the streets, parks and public spaces of Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, Sunderland and South Shields as part of Great North Snowdogs presented by St Oswald's Hospice. 

Martlets is a charity that cares for people living through a terminal illness in and around Brighton and Hove. We’re much more than a hospice and we’re working to change perceptions of hospice care. Today, most of our patients receive care in their own home. Our hospice in Hove is a place where patients and their families can use our therapeutic services, drop-in clinics, visit our in-patient unit or just sit and have a coffee in our café. Our community teams care for people living and dying at home.  Families and loved ones are supported into bereavement. We run a 24/7 helpline for free, personal support, this is a collaboration between Martlets and the Sussex Community Trust’s palliative care team.  Our care is only free thanks to the generosity of local people; every donation will help us change lives.