Derby Ram Trail Auction – last tickets on sale for the special price of £10!

Derby Industries by Sarita Gnaniah, image © Derby Museums

People have flocked to the streets of Derby this summer to enjoy the fabulous Derby Ram Trail, which has been a Ramtastic success. Now, there is a chance to give one of the rams a forever home at the Ram Trail Auction, which takes place on 9 September and will be hosted by renowned auctioneer Charles Hanson.

Derby Museums is now offering tickets for just £10, to enable more people to be a part of this special evening at the Museum of Making – so don’t miss out on the chance to be there to bid on your own ram sculpture!

The Derby Ram Trail has really encouraged people to get back into the city once again, exploring new areas and supporting local businesses. The trail has helped to support the city’s recovery after the lockdown and has bought joy and smiles to the thousands of people that have taken part:

• Over 90% of people rated the Derby Ram Trail as ‘brilliant’ or ‘very good’.
• Over 30,000 trail maps have been picked up by visitors, downloaded from the website or circulated via the Derby Telegraph.
• 4,350 Ram Trail ‘apps’ have been downloaded.
• Over 50% of people have visited Derby more than once to complete the trail, some more than 4 times!
• Over 50% of people said the trail encouraged them to visit parts of the city they had not been to before and over 70% said that the trail had encouraged them to consider another visit to Derby.
• Over 75% of people have reported spending more than £10 in the city on their visit.
• Over 4,000 children from 21 schools took part in the Schools Mini Ram Trail competition.

The Rams have now been taken into their pens for some R & R before the RamUnion Weekend (3rd-5th September) at the Museum and Art Gallery. This will be the last chance to see them all together to celebrate the end of the Ram Trail and say goodbye to the rams before they ram-pede to auction to raise funds for Derby Museums.

The Auction takes place on Thursday 9 September, and by purchasing a ram you will be helping to care for Derby’s important heritage to inspire our future generations, as proceeds from the Auction will be doubled with match funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and donated to Derby Museums’ Endowment.

Hosted at the new Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill, this exciting evening will begin with a prosecco and canapé reception in the impressive surroundings of the Civic Hall, before guests are invited through to the Italian Mill to enjoy what is set to be a thrilling night. The event will be hosted by BBC Radio Derby’s very own Twigge and local celebrity auctioneer Charles Hanson will auction off the 30 large rams, be prepared for some competitive bidding!

Tony Butler, Executive Director, Derby Museums says: “The trail has made such a difference in the city this summer, encouraging people back into the city to support local businesses in post Covid recovery. People have really loved the trail and we are delighted to be able to offer the last tickets at this special price to enable more people to be a part of the auction on what is set to be a brilliant night and we hope people will be inspired to make one their own by bidding at the auction.”

“The proceeds from the Auction will support Derby Museums Endowment and helping to secure our future so we can continue to keep our museums free to inspire the generations of the future.”

Charlie Langhorne, Co-founder and Managing Director of Wild in Art says: “Derby Ram Trail was the first of our Wild in Art Trails to launch after we came out of lockdown and it has been wonderful to see how the city of Derby has embraced the trail. Thanks to all sponsors, artists and visitors for their commitment to making the trail such a fantastic success after such a difficult time.”

The Derby Ram Trail Auction is kindly supported by Penguin PR.

Simon Burch, Director of Penguin PR, says: “We hope people will not miss the chance to come to this unique auction event and dig deep to bid on a ram and support Derby Museums.”

For more information and to book your place for only £10, please visit: http://bit.ly/RamTrailAuction

In addition to offering a live event we are pleased to offer the opportunity for bidders and spectators to join online for a live-stream of the event and the option to register your interest to bid by proxy / telephone.

To join online or bid by telephone / proxy, please register here: https://derbyramtrail.org/auction/

The Auction Catalogue is now live and can be viewed here: https://hansonslive.hansonsauctioneers.co.uk/m/view-auctions/catalog/id/191