Thousands from across the UK flocked to Slessor Gardens to say farewell to Dundee’s Oor Wullies before they get auctioned off for charity.
The area’s 41 statues were put on display for all to see in the ticketed events on Saturday and Sunday.
Part of the Oor Wullie BIG Bucket Trail, the auction will take place at Dundee Rep theatre and will raise much-needed cash for Archie Foundation Tayside.
The charity is helping to build a new children’s operating theatre suite within Ninewells Hospital.
Similar events were held in Inverness, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh to show off the 200 created in total.
Each of those cities will also host an auction night with the money raised going towards children’s hospital charities in their areas.
All ready for final day of @OWBIGBucket Farewell event! Join us 10am-6pm at Slessor Gardens! #owbbt #lastchancetosee pic.twitter.com/xY5G94yCC0
— ARCHIE Tayside (@archietayside) September 15, 2019
Sarah Johnston, Archie Tayside fundraising manager, said: “We’ve loved seeing people from not only Dundee and Tayside, but also Scotland and even some folks who drove up from England especially to be here.
“There’s been a lovely, cheerful buzz around Slessor Gardens with lots of photos taken and lots of souvenirs bought.
“We’re looking forward to the auction tomorrow night at Dundee Rep – it will be such an exciting event and we hope to raise as much as possible for sick children in Tayside.
“Thank you to everyone who has helped make Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail a success – sponsors, businesses, the public, volunteers, staff, and supporters, bidders and, of course, Oor Wullie himself!”
She added The Archie Foundation couldn’t have put on the Farewell Event without the help of all the “wonderful volunteers”.
She also thanked Profile Security Services who she said went “above and beyond” to ensure the event ran smoothly.
The sculptures were dotted around Dundee with two also positioned in Perth and St Andrews.
Thirty-six are full sized while five are mini ‘Wandering Wullies’ which were hired for fetes and shows.
Some of the most popular sculptures include Yeehaw Wullie, Wulliesaurus, Oor Doddie and Oor Freddie.
The trail lasted for a month and a half having started on June 17 and ending on August 30.
There have been more than 1.5 million sculpture visits across the country, with an estimated 180,000 taking place in Tayside and Fife.
The finale weekends, sponsored by Zero Waste Scotland, were designed to give each of the charities involved another opportunity to connect with trail enthusiasts and raise funds.
Last year’s Penguin Parade raised £540,000 for charity, with the top bid during the auction at V&A Dundee being £11,000 for the P-Pick Up the Phone Penguin.
