Police Scotland is supporting the Oor Wullie Big Bucket Trail, which is taking place across the country this summer, with its very own PC Murdoch challenge.
The Oor Wullie Big Bucket Trail is a nationwide art trail with 200 life-size statues of Scottish icon “Oor Wullie” installed across five cities. It is being held to raise awareness and vital funds for all of Scotland’s children’s hospital charities which help to provide the best possible care for half a million babies, children and young people each year.
Together The ARCHIE Foundation, Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, in partnership and association with DC Thomson Media and Wild in Art, have created the Oor Wullie Big Bucket Trail. This will be the biggest event of its kind ever to take place in Scotland, and the first time that all three children’s hospitals in Scotland will unite for the same purpose.
Police Scotland is partnering with the trail by taking on the PC Murdoch Challenge, featuring the famous police officer who tries to keep Oor Wullie on the straight and narrow.
This will see our very own half-size Oor Wullie statue, designed in the style of PC Murdoch, travelling all round Scotland to each of our 13 Divisions. His mission is to travel to as many iconic and distant locations as possible, in order to recognise the national work carried out by the three main charities.
Police Scotland officers, whether they be actual “PC Murdochs” or not, will be engaging with the public who are participating in the trail over the next 12 weeks, helping to encourage awareness of personal safety, crime prevention, and good citizenship. Admittedly, Wullie himself isn’t particularly renowned for these attributes, but PC Murdoch has always tried his best to keep him on the right path!
Chief Superintendent Andrew Todd said, “Police Scotland is delighted to lend its support to the Oor Wullie Big Bucket Trail, and it’s only fitting that PC Murdoch goes around the country to make sure Wullie behaves himself!
“Police Scotland is tasked with keeping people safe across the whole of Scotland, and the charities involved in the Big Bucket Trail provide their help and support to families all across the country, so there is a symmetry between us that lends itself to a partnership. We will be encouraging all of our officers in all departments and divisions to support this fantastic event, and if you happen to see PC Murdoch out and about near you, please say hello to him.”
Roslyn Neely from Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity said, “When the team behind the Oor Wullie BIG Bucket Trail started planning the event, it was soon apparent that we couldn’t have Oor Wullie loose on the streets of Scotland and not involve his old friend PC Murdoch.
“We are so pleased that Police Scotland are creating this partnership which will see them not only promote positive safety messages throughout the summer, but also apply all their skills and ingenuity to The PC Murdoch Challenge. We look forward to receiving sightings of PC Murdoch from the public on our social media”.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
