Elephants on the rampage in Stockbridge

A stampede of 30 baby elephants is set to descend on Stockbridge to raise funds for two city charities.

The cardboard herd, part of a fundraising campaign organised by Stockbridge locals Rhona Johnston and Eleanor Spens, hopes to replicate the huge success of last year’s giraffes parade.

Funds raised will be donated to the city’s Sick Kids Friends Foundation and LifeCare.

Local independent businesses including shops, cafés and restaurants across the area have each adopted an elephant which they have decorated in colourful designs. The elephants will go on display in the each business until December 11 when they will be auctioned off in aid of the local good causes.

Organiser Rhona Johnston, said: “Last year we launched our first fundraising drive. We came up with the idea of asking local businesses to adopt huge five foot tall giraffes and cover them in colourful artistic designs to add a bit of fun to Christmas shopping and highlight the wealth of independent businesses around our area of Stockbridge.

“We didn’t have a fixed idea of how much we hoped to raise but the local community really got behind it and it took off. Last year’s event raised £11,500 which was fantastic.

“This year it’s elephants and local businesses have been feverishly working away to create some fantastic designs. We can’t wait to show them off at the launch Jumboree at the weekend.”

As part of the activity kids are invited to take part in the ‘elephant trail’, checking in with each elephant along the route for their chance to win one of the finished elephants.

Rachel McKenzie, Community Fundraising Manager at Sick Kids Friends Foundation, said: “We would like to say a big thank you to Rhona, Eleanor and all of the Edinburgh businesses who have got behind the campaign. It’s such an inventive way to raise funds and really captures the imagination and support of the local community. We appreciate all of their fantastic fundraising efforts and we’re very excited to see the finished elephants around Stockbridge.

The elephant in the photo is called George and he represents the Just Dogs shop in Raeburn Place. He was decorated by children at The Sick Kids with a little help from play specialist, Margaret McEwan.