Patients and staff at a hospice have been getting creative ahead of an exciting exhibition coming to Southend this summer.

Hares About Town, a free art event scheduled to go ahead from July 1 until September 12, will see 30 hare sculptures line the streets and seafront of Southend.

The event, which is being held in partnership with Wild in Art, will raise much-needed funds for Havens Hospices.

Havens’ patients have got into the creative spirit in preparation for the event by getting their hands messy and creating a leveret named Hope.

The exhibition’s leveret trail will be running from June 14 until September 12, with the leverets displayed in hotspots such as the Beecroft Art Gallery, Central Museum, Southchurch Hall and Southend Pier.

Lizzie Ireland, creative therapist at Havens, got involved in Hope’s creation and admits the patients enjoyed showing off their creative flair ahead of the design being on display this summer.

She said: “The theme around our leveret hare, Hope, was ‘together we have hope’.

“To decorate our leveret, staff and patients at the hospice joined together and everyone put their handprints onto the hare using beautiful rainbow colours.

“Decorating Hope was not only very enjoyable for staff and patients but it has also been a diversional activity for everyone throughout these challenging times.

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“We can’t wait for everyone to see Hope during the Hares About Town art trail, which is raising vital funds for our hospice care.

“After the trail, we hope she will come hopping back to the hospice to be displayed so we can look back and remember how we all pulled together throughout these unprecedented times.”

More than 50 community groups, schools and charity organisations have hopped on board with the Hares About Town project.

Each hare, which boasts a unique design after being worked on by some of south Essex’s most talented artists, will be auctioned off at the Boundary, Garon Park, in September.

Proceeds from the auction are set to go to Havens, which has fought through the pandemic despite seeing a number of fundraisers cancelled due to Covid.

Havens has seen a 30 per cent increase in demand for its care during the pandemic.