Dartford Borough On Dartford Bear Hunt Trail

Councillor Jeremy still remembers the morning he opened the newspaper and was shocked to see that the route of the proposed Channel Tunnel Rail Link would cut straight through his house.

“Nobody had asked me about it, so I got annoyed,” he laughs. “But people told me I was good at being outspoken and rallying the community together – and my journey into politics grew from there.”

Today, the lifelong Dartfordian is still channelling that energy. As Leader of Dartford Borough Council (DBC) since 2006 – and an MBE-decorated champion of community projects – Kite has introduced playgrounds, statues, and a football stadium during the almost two decades of his tenure. “What matters is service and culture,” he says, “because bricks and mortar alone can’t build a town.”

That philosophy is why he’s backing ellenor’s We’re Going on a Bear Hunt public art trail – and why he believes Dartford is exactly the right place for it.

Next summer, 60 fibreglass bears – 30 towering sculptures painted by professional artists and 30 cubs created by schools and community groups – will pop up across Dartford’s town centre, hidden footpaths and the Bluewater shopping complex. For eight free weeks, families can use QR codes to “collect” each bear – based on those in Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury’s classic children’s picture book, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt – to unlock the hidden stories of hospice care, and explore corners of the borough they may not have visited in years.

Behind it all is ellenor: a local hospice charity that supports adults, children and their families facing life-limiting illness across Kent and Bexley, both from its Northfleet-based inpatient ward and from the patients’ own homes in the local communities.

As for DBC, Kite’s council is the trail’s Presenting Partner – but he’s keen to stress who’s in the driver’s seat.

“This is ellenor’s vision,” he says. “The council’s job is simply to clear the runway – licences, logistics, introductions – so the charity’s idea can take off.”

Dartford has long been a hotbed of artistic and cultural fertility; where creativity can soar, and ideas flourish.

For example, touring theatre companies road-test new shows at Dartford’s Orchard Theatre because, Kite says, “if it works here, it’ll work anywhere.” The borough’s 109,000 residents include commuters, countryside dwellers, and newcomers drawn by rapid house-building. That diversity, Kite argues, is the trail’s secret weapon.
 
“We’ve grown fast, but we protect our green belt and our sense of community. My job is to make newcomers feel valued and make sure long-timers don’t feel left out. ellenor’s art trail – both playful and powerful – does both.”
 
He’s entirely devoted to Dartford “It’s full of real people whose daily lives mirror the nation’s. That’s why national partners notice us,” says Kite. “We’re a snapshot of Britain.”
 
As for Kite, his council has a strong track record of pouring money into bold, sometimes eyebrow-raising ideas.
 
It fuelled the £7 million development of Princes Park – the football stadium home to Dartford FC, which opened in 2006 – including a giant wooden sculpture in the stadium’s terraces. It’s built scores of brand-new playgrounds. And, in 2023, it unveiled a bronze statue of the “Glimmer Twins”, The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger and Keith Richards – both Dartfordians – at One Bell Corner in the heart of Dartford’s town centre.
 
Culture and creativity is at the heart not only of Dartford, but of its council. And it’s something that, Kite believes, people engage with in an increasingly profound way as they grow older and more contemplative of life.
 
“I think when you near the end of your life, the more art and culture really click. At the end of the day, what you remember about a destination isn’t the car parks, or the fast food restaurants, or the hotels. It’s those moments when you get to experience the art, the history, and the culture – the heart of the place.”
 
In many ways, then, it’s fitting that Kite’s council is supporting the wild art trail run by ellenor – which provides palliative and end-of-life care for local people – when there is such an established link between art and death.
 
“Art has always been about making sense of life,” Kite says. “About exploring big questions on who we are, why we’re here, and what comes afterwards. Art was never about just selling things, but about bettering ourselves. Think about it: when you want to share your story or remember your loved ones, you turn to pictures, photos, and paintings. That’s art, and it’s always been about what really matters.”
 
That insight dovetails with ellenor’s mission. QR codes on each bear will reveal bite-sized stories from patients and relatives – proof that hospice care is about living richly, not just dying peacefully. “It’s reassuring to know ellenor is there,” Kite adds. “Even if you never need them, having them there makes all the difference.”
 
Rosen and Oxenbury’s iconic picture book sends its family through swishy grass, thick mud and a narrow, gloomy cave. No shortcuts; just courage. In that fictional family’s journey, Kite sees a metaphor not only for Dartford’s own growth – one typified by the rise of Ebbsfleet Garden City and the upcoming Lower Thames Crossing – but for the emotional journeys the families supported by ellenor must all navigate.
 
So – how can you get involved?
 
Whether you’re nine or ninety, wield a paintbrush or a spreadsheet, there’s a way to join the hunt:
 
Who?
How to play your part
Businesses & brands
Sponsor a big bear (£6,000 + VAT) and see your logo – and your support for ellenor – walk the borough for eight weeks, then live on at auction.
Artists (emerging or established)
Pitch a design for one of the 30 giant bears. Open call launches in September – register interest now at dartfordbearhunt.co.uk.
Schools & community groups
Adopt and decorate a cub sculpture that pupils, scouts or neighbours will treasure for years.
Local residents & visitors
Mark summer 2026 in your diary, download the free trail app, and become a tourist in your own town. Share photos, scan QR codes, and spread the word that hospice care is about living well, together.
 
Ready to take the first step?

 Email dartfordbearhunt@ellenor.org to start the adventure.