As merrymakers tuck into their piggys in blankets over Christmas, some families across the region have enjoyed the festive period with a different type of hog.
The iconic sculptures from Ipswich’s Pigs Gone Wild summer art trail were all auctioned off to the highest bidders and are now settling in to new and loving homes.
The initiative raised £200,000 for organiser St Elizabeth Hospice, but it also brought in an extra £1m to Ipswich’s economy through increased visits and spending in the town.
So where are the pigs now?
Swinions
Swinions is in the garden of a family home in Felixstowe in memory of a mother and wife.
Nicola Harris was cared for by St Elizabeth Hospice before she died in January 2014 at the age of 47 from a movement disorder called Dystonia.
Her husband of 28 years Simon, son John, 28, and daughter Chloe, 24, purchased a pig in recognition of the care the hospice gave Mrs Harris.
Mr Harris, 52, said: “St Elizabeth Hospice looked after her before Christmas and we had one last Christmas together.
“We bought the pig in tribute to her as I feel they [the hospice] provide a wonderful service.
“It’s our way of giving something back.
“She was looked after by the hospice but came home for Christmas and she passed away at home.
“They gave her the extra energy she wanted. When you look back I think she knew she didn’t have long and wanted to make it a wonderful Christmas for everyone.”
Hamlet
A pig breeding company purchased Hamlet to brighten up its office.
Robert Lawson, a director of Rattlerow Farms, successfully bid for the pig at auction.
Hamlet is now sitting at the entrance of the business site in Stradbroke, which is half offices and half pig farm.
Mr Lawson said: “It’s certainly very attention-grabbing, very striking, and her colours match our office.
“I think everyone who drives past our offices sees it through the window, so she’s in a comfortable position to be inside and in the warmth but she’s got a good sight of outside, so I think she is pretty happy.
“It embraces our industry very well.”
Mr Lawson said the auction, which he attended with his wife, Shellee, was “very tense”.
Sir Bradley Piggins
Sir Bradley Piggins was snapped up by its sponsor, Adnams.
The statue, made in tribute to the king of British cycling, has taken pride of place in the courtyard of the company’s store in Southwold.
Sarah Fisk, of Adnams, said: “Through the process we had grown quite attached to him so we decided it would be nice to keep him if we could.
“We have got a strong affiliation with cycling so it seemed right for him to come back to Adnams and to carry on being our ambassador.”
Mrs Fisk said there was some fierce competition for Sir Bradley at the auction, adding: “He was a popular pig.”
Hedgepig
Jane Feaviour made her grandchildren’s day when she brought home Hedgepig.
The sculpture was being repaired when Ms Feaviour completed the summer trail with her family.
Her grandchildren, Maxwell, nine, Jessamie, six, were “disappointed” when they found an empty plinth in Hedgepig’s place.
So Ms Feaviour, 62, went to auction and brought home the bacon.
She said: “Hedgepig grabbed a lot of people’s imaginations and certainly grabbed my grandchildren’s imaginations, so they quite disappointed not to get a picture with him.
“When it was announced they would go up for sale, I thought ‘I wonder how much they would go for’.
“I bought tickets for myself and my sister to go along to the auction and Hedgepig was up first and I bought him, and it was really to finish the trail. It completed the cycle, really.”
Hedgepig sits in the back garden of Ms Feaviour’s home in Chattisham.
Ms Feaviour is the editor of Farmers Guide, a monthly farming magazine based in Ipswich.
Hamlet of Ipswich
One pig is taking a vacation over Christmas at Ipswich Hospital.
Hamlet of Ipswich was bought by Jeremy Wood, owner of Wyards Removals & Storage, which sponsored it for the trail.
Mr Wood has lent the sculpture to the hospital over the festive period.
He said: “I thought if people have to be in hospital at Christmas, then maybe he can go there and put a smile on their faces.”
Wyards Removals & Storage handled some of the transportation of the pigs after the trail.
Of Hamlet of Ipswich, Mr Wood said: “It’s a fantastic design, it’s stunning. I think it’s one of the best ones, and I’m not just saying that cause it’s ours. The art work is incredible.”
Hamlet of Ipswich is positioned outside the Constable Suite.
Piggy Stardust
A family adopted Piggy Stardust in honour of an Ipswich man who “adored” David Bowie.
Bruce Beckett died in April last year at age of 65 due to complications following a lung disorder.
His wife of 37 years Wendy and daughter Sam, 27, bought the pig as a colourful reminder of Mr Beckett.
Mrs Beckett, 58, said: “The reason I bought him was my daughter had fallen in love in with him and I lost my husband last year and we thought it would something we could buy in memory of him and put it in the garden, as he loved his garden.
“It’s like a memorial but not morbid thing, a fun thing, and he absolutely adored David Bowie.”
The pair were also keen to support St Elizabeth Hospice in recognition of a number of family members who have battled cancer.
Piggy Stardust pays tribute to the late David Bowie, who created an alter ego called Ziggy Stardust.
South Street Kids Radio
A family-of-four have taken in a pig as a permanent reminder of the summer trail.
South Street Kids Radio is sitting in the garden of the Shelley’s home in Great Bealings.
Chris Shelley, 44, said: “We just really wanted a pig I suppose, it wasn’t any one pig in particular.
“We went as a family to the trail over the summer and really enjoyed it so I thought we should get a pig as a memento.
“That one came up and we bid for it and got it. It was to support the hospice as we all thought the trail was great.”
Mr Shelley and wife Judith surprised their daughters Maddie, 14, and Annie, 13, when South Street Kids Radio turned up on their doorstep after the auction.
“They were a bit surprised when they got up one morning and saw the pig,” Mr Shelley added. “They were straight on social media telling all their friends that their dad had been out and bought a pig.”
Captain Pigwash
Modern art lover Graham Kill has added Captain Pigwash to his collection.
The 51-year-old and his wife Carole remember Captain Pugwash from their childhood and thought the pig was a “lovely spin” on the character.
The sculpture is placed in the garden of the couple’s home in Woodbridge, with Mr Kill adding: “We don’t allow pigs inside.”
He added: “It’s great because St Elizabeth Hospice does fantastic work, they are trying to plug a bit of a gap in our health care system so it’s not neglected. So it’s a wonderful service.
“And I like modern art, so it’s an added benefit.”
Mr Kill praised the Pigs Gone Wild trail: “I think Ipswich always gets a bad wrap and this type of positive initiate that gets people out and about and raising the merits of Ipswich is a good think to do. “
Frankenswine
Frankenswine has migrated to Essex and is sitting happily with a new friend.
Annabelle Lamb and her mother and step-father Tracey and Dean Bloomfield bought the pig to go with a giraffe they have from a similar project at Colchester Zoo called Stand Tall.
The sculptures are placed in the garden of their home in Colchester.
Miss Lamb, 18, said: “We wanted a little friend to match the giraffe.
“My step dad’s friends always take the mick out of my mum and Dean for having them in the garden but I love them.”
The giraffe is aptly named Dotty.
Norman Lloyd, Pigs Gone Wild project manager, says
“It is so nice to see where the pigs have ended up and where and who they’re spending Christmas with.
“They’re like my children that have grown up and left home, and it’s good to know they’re being so well looked after.
“It looks like they will all be having a lovely Christmas with their new families and owners and we would like to thank everyone who bought one of the pigs once again for their generosity and support of the trail.
“Everyone really did take them into their hearts – and some of them into their homes – and that’s heart-warming to see and to know.”
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