James Wellbeloved will unveil a 15-foot giant mucky pup sculpture named Ellie in central London this week, alongside interactive elements. Ellie’s playful stance will reflect how soil makes dogs happy on the outside while also representing the four football fields of healthy soil degraded every second globally.
From 21st-23rd March, pet lovers will be able to visit Ellie in central London, as well as learn more about how healthy soil supports the natural ingredients in pet food. Ellie is located next to the “SOIL: The World at Our Feet” exhibition at Somerset House sponsored by Mars, Incorporated.
Melodie Nye, Chief Growth Officer, Mars Pet Nutrition Europe commented: "We’re proud to unveil our mucky pup sculpture, building on the launch of our Beloved Soil Initiative. We know pet parents care deeply about their pets' well-being, and we want to use this passion to help inspire more awareness and consideration for the essential role of soil. By embarking on our regenerative agriculture pilot, we are beginning to help support farmers to restore and protect soil and highlighting this initiative is an important part of our journey.”
Visitors will also be able to get their hands on a coupon to redeem £5 back on their next purchase of James Wellbeloved by downloading the Shopmium app, from the market stand pop-up next to the sculpture.
The sculpture follows the launch of James Wellbeloved’s Beloved Soil Initiative earlier this year, a regenerative agriculture pilot developed in collaboration with experts, Agrii and Soil Association Exchange, which in its first year will partner with three farmers forming part of our supply chain producing oats and barley. Through financial incentives, education programmes and tailored training the pilot aims to help the farmers to adopt regenerative farming practices, such as crop diversification and restoring hedgerows which can contribute to improved soil health and provide shelter for wildlife.
Joseph Gridley, Chief Executive Officer, Soil Association Exchange, added: "At Soil Association Exchange, we know that the health of our soil underpins the quality of our food – whether it’s feeding people or our pets. Through the Beloved Soil Initiative, we’re proud to support farmers in adopting regenerative practices and verifying the impact of these changes on soil health, biodiversity, and resilience. It’s great to see James Wellbeloved using its platform to raise awareness of soil’s vital role, and we’re excited to collaborate on this journey towards a healthier future for our soils and our food systems."