There was a TV celebrity in York today – with a pretty nice car for a pretty great cause.
Many residents and visitors alike have enjoyed the Snook character trail around the city this spring, which features 21 unique four-and-a-half foot characters decorated by artists and sponsored by local businesses.
And today (Thursday) celebrity auctioneer Derek Matthewson from TV show Bangers and Cash was in York to announce the date for a special auction – with the chance to own your favourite Snook.
With the trail finishing at the end of this month, the Snook characters will be auctioned off by Derek himself at York Barbican on Thursday 9 May, to raise money for St Leonard’s Hospice.
The event will also be live-streamed for free, so people and businesses from all over the world can bid for the unique sculptures.
All the money raised from auctioning off the Snooks will be split between St Leonard’s Hospice and York Creates Fund.
To highlight the forthcoming auction, Derek drove his favourite Bentley car around the trail.
“I’m really looking forward to the auction,” Derek told YorkMix. “We just need lots of online bidding – whether that be low or high.”
Derek said there’s indication that the Snooks could go for up to possibly £3,000.
“It’s been proven that this sort of thing has achieved that figure in other cities, so York should do the same. There’s some good companies and a lot of benefactors in York so I think it’ll do well.”
The Snooks project was a collaboration between Make It York and St Leonard’s Hospice, with the character created by artist Sian Ellis.
Tickets for the Snooks auction hosted by Derek Matthewson are available here and cost £5. Find out more about the Snooks at the Visit York website.