Ecclesiastical to insure Surrey Hills CowParade works of art

Specialist insurer, Ecclesiastical, has become the insurance partner of the Surrey Hills CowParade. The partnership will see the group provide insurance cover for the world's largest public arts event which is being staged in Surrey this summer.

Surrey Hills CowParade 2016 is based around a concept originally introduced in Switzerland in 1998. It has since been staged in more than 80 cities and towns worldwide with over 3,000 cows decorated by more than 5,000 artists. The New York CowParade had 450 cows on exhibition across the Big Apple and was seen worldwide by 45 million people.

Surrey Hills Enterprises hopes that during 2016 more than 200 colourful cows will decorate the hills, farms, towns, schools and popular landmarks across the county to increase awareness of everything Surrey has to offer in terms of business and tourism, and also to raise as much money as possible for good causes.

Ecclesiastical, one of Britain’s largest independently owned insurance companies, which provides specialist insurance for private clients, fine art, heritage properties, charities, schools, colleges, and churches are setting up a tailored insurance solution especially for the event.

Event organisers want individuals, companies, schools and other organisations to sponsor a life-sized cow and either decorate it themselves or bring in an artist to do it. The cows will then be displayed around the county through the summer before being herded to the inaugural Surrey Hills Food, Drink and Music Festival on September 3. They will ultimately be sold with those judged the ‘pick of the herd’going to auction at a gala ceremony in London later in the year.

Proceeds will be shared equally between Surrey Hills Trust Fund, a charity established to conserve and protect the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which supports local community projects and enterprise schemes, and the individual charities selected by the cow sponsors.

CowParade Leader, Tim Metson said: “Ecclesiastical are an extremely prominent and well established name in the insurance sector in Britain, specialising in providing cover to churches, charities and the education sector as well as heritage buildings many of which include collections of fine art. We feel Ecclesiastical are the perfect partner to provide our insurance cover. Their support will help us to promote the CowParade to their customers who are very much our target audience.

Depending on the artists who decorate the cows, these works of art are potentially very valuable and therefore is it essential that we have adequate insurance in place.”

AdrianSaunders, Commercial Director for Ecclesiastical added: “The Surrey Hills are home to some of the UK’s most interesting and beautiful Heritage Properties many of which are insured by Ecclesiastical. The event actively engages the local, national and international community to visit the area and these properties.

“We are delighted to be involved in such an innovative and creative event. The CowParade supports many of our core business areas, as well as raising money for good causes something that is at the very heart of our business”.

For more information on how to take part call the Surrey Hills CowParade team on 01483 661150 or visit: www.surreyhillscowparade.com.

About Surrey Hills
The Surrey Hills is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, one of 38 nationally protected landscapes in England and Wales. The Hills stretch across a quarter of the county of Surrey and include the chalk slopes of the North Downs from Farnham in the west to Oxted in the east and extend south to the deeply wooded Greensand Hills which rise in Haslemere. The Surrey Hills offers some of South East England's most beautiful and accessible countryside. Famous beauty spots include Box Hill, Leith Hill and the Devil's Punch Bowl. You'll discover an extensive footpath network, open commons, breathtaking views, attractive market towns and villages and much more. The CowParade will not only help to raise awareness of this special landscape but also safeguard its future through donations to the Surrey Hills Trust Fund. For further information on the Surrey Hills please visit

For more information, please see:
www.surreyhills.org

PAUL SMITH ASSOCIATES
4th April 2016