In readiness artist, Celia Houghton, Lichfield District Council’s Community Arts Development Officer, has helped the GrowWell Care Farm Project group, to decorate its pig for the parade.

As the GrowWell group works to improve mental health, the pig was aptly named ‘Meating of the Minds of Burntwood’.

Funded by Staffordshire County Council’s Community Wellbeing Fund and Awards for All, the GrowWell group comes together each week at Beaudesert Park Farm in Upper Longdon to take part in rural activities, cookery, gardening, crafts, and of course to decorate the pig.

The group divided its pig into cuts of meat, with each part representing an area in Burntwood.

HAMmerwich - the ham part of the pig is decorated in gold and gems to represent the Staffordshire Hoard found in Hammerwich.

Chase Terrace is represented by coal mining, a former industry of the area.

Chasetown is decorated with images of sport to represent Burntwood Leisure Centre, Chasetown Football Club and Burntwood Rugby Club.

Boney Hay and Gentleshaw is decorated with images of nature to represent Gentleshaw Common.

Chasewater is represented by images of water, boats and more to represent the Chasewater Country Park.

Burntwood is the head, and is decorate with images of positive mental health which represents the mental health group that decorated the pig and Burntwood’s former St Matthews’s hospital. 

Celia Houghton said: “I was delighted to help the GrowWell group to decorate its pig. It was a really interesting project, which got us thinking about positive images of mental health and what Burntwood means to us. The pig looks great and really shows off what a great place Burntwood is. Well done to everyone who got involved with this project and good luck spotting the pig during Lichfield Festival.”

Everyone can try to see if they can find all 30 of the pigs by picking up a Pig Trail leaflet from The Lichfield Festival Office (7 The Close) or by downloading one from www.lichfieldfestival.org during the Lichfield Festival, running from 6 to 17 July. 

All the pigs will be auctioned off at the end of the Lichfield Festival at the Pig Auction taking place at The Close on Sunday 17 July at 1pm.