Bespoke eco-sculpture to be unveiled this month to celebrate shopping centre’s 10th anniversary

A sketch on Sarah Turner's website relating to how her eco-sculpture of a rabbit will look at Whiteley Shopping Centre

Whiteley’s bespoke sculpture has been inspired by the traditional gift for a tenth anniversary, tin, to mark a decade since the centre opened.

The sculpture will see recycled tin and aluminium drinks cans transformed into a bright, eye-catching rabbit installation, in a nod to Whiteley’s woodland heritage.

The eco-art will be brought to life by Nottingham-based creator Sarah Turner, who is internationally renowned for her upcycling of household waste materials into breathtaking sculptures.

Her latest will be soon found on Whiteley’s grass area outside Wagamama.

As well as recognising the centre’s history, the sustainable design is a testament to Whiteley’s ongoing commitment to making a positive difference for customers, the community, and the environment.

Existing sustainability initiatives at the centre include the installation of water tanks underneath its carparks to harvest rainwater for its trees, more than 35,000 sq. ft. of solar panels on site – which have generated over 1,800,000 kWh of energy since 2018 – and a commitment to recycling all possible waste.

The installation also follows a new project launched this year at Whiteley to collect and reuse bottle tops, a traditionally difficult to recycle item. So far more than 6,000 tops have been donated and turned into a piece of public art.

Mia Gordon, centre director for Whiteley, said: “This latest addition to our anniversary celebrations is a fantastic representation of our continual commitment to making responsible choices that have lasting benefits for our customers and community.

Sarah Turner added: “This project offers the opportunity to continue my work transforming discarded items such as bottles and cans into beautiful creations.

“My love for this work started back in university, when working in a coffee shop highlighted the huge amounts of bottles and cans that are thrown away each

day.

"Projects such as these are vital to raising awareness for environmental damage and moving towards a more sustainable future.”

The sculpture is set to be unveiled later this month and the installation forms part of Whiteley’s wider 10th anniversary celebrations, which included a summer of celebratory events such as a doggy activity day and family-friendly fun days.