The final farewull: FM starts the parties before thousands of fans hail stars of the Bucket Trail

Nicola Sturgeon has led thousands of fans saying farewell to the spikey-haired heroes of this summer’s Big Bucket Trail.

The First Minister took the chance to say goodbye to the Oor Wullie sculptures at one of the special farewell parties staged this weekend.

And she praised the efforts of the hundreds of thousands of people who took part in Scotland’s largest public art event set to raise a fortune for children’s hospital charities.

Hundreds of specially-­decorated Wullies have been visited all around Scotland and the First Minister has been a huge fan of the spectacular fundraiser.

© Andrew Cawley/DCT Media

“The Oor Wullie Bucket Trail has been phenomenal,” she said.

“I was at the launch back in October and everyone was excited, but it has exceeded ­everyone’s expectations.

“It’s been a real draw that has captured imaginations and has encouraged people to visit different parts of the country to see the statues. But, most importantly, it’s raised lots of money for our children’s hospitals. So all credit to everyone involved, from the artists and organisers to all the families who have joined the fun.

“If I think back to my own childhood, Oor Wullie was such a big aspect of it. I used to love getting my Oor Wullie book on Christmas morning.

“Wullie himself was my ­favourite character! Apart from him, I probably quite liked Daphne from The Broons. But Wullie for me is full of mischief, full of adventure, and that’s what childhood is all about.”

© Andrew Cawley / DCT Media

Professor Peter Watson, the chairman of Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, also attended the party launch at the SEC in Glasgow before the sculptures go under the hammer at fundraising auctions this week.

Other farewell events were held in Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness.

Professor Watson said: “We got involved when the idea was to bring all the children’s hospital charities together, and Oor Wullie was suggested as a ­unifying figure.

“I thought Wullie might appeal to an older generation, which made me wonder if it would take off. Of course, I couldn’t have been more wrong. The Bucket Trail has been huge. The interesting thing was that, during the summer, families were looking for things to do with their kids.

“And the Bucket Trail became the thing to do. We got all sorts of messages from families ­saying, ‘why have we not had this before?’

“And I was astonished by the support we had. We asked hauliers the Malcolm Group if they could possibly help us move some of the Wullie statues.

“The next thing we knew a fleet of trucks turned up. They were available day and night. People went the extra mile and then some for the Bucket Trail.”

© Andrew Cawley / DCT Media

Ellis Watson, executive ­chairman of DC Thomson, hailed the campaign’s ability to inspire people.

“There’s somebody we heard about who is agoraphobic who hadn’t been out their house for many, many months. Not far from their home was a statue with lots of visitors.

“So wanting to see the statue, late one night, they went out on their own to take their own little selfie.

“Wullie is 80 years old but a whole new generation is falling in love with him.

“We’ve had hundreds of thousands of people who have gone around Scotland, taking selfies like they’re bagging Munros. It has been amazing.

“And the magic with this is going to be in the money it raises for children’s hospitals.

“They are special and important places where the most precious and vulnerable people go at the worst and most scary times of their young lives.

“It has been a tremendous summer but doing this for them makes the Trail even more special.”