It enjoyed just a brief moment in the limelight, but Sense Scotland revelled in being number 12 in the countdown to the opening of the Commonwealth Games
Unicef was not the only charity to feature in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games - disability charity Sense Scotland also enjoyed a brief moment of glory.
If you blinked you'd have missed it, but the charity which works with people with sensory impairments appeared as number 12 in the filmed countdown to the start of the opening ceremony.
And although it didn't appear for long, art tutor Imelda Neale, who worked on the project, said: "You can't pass up a chance like that."
The charity’s arts team came up with the concept: a number 12 which captured the games colours and which was also mobile.
Working with a group of artists from Glasgow and Saltcoats, the arts tutors ensured all the artists, whatever their support needs, were able to be properly involved in the construction and decoration of the giant one and two.
Art tutor James Gow explained: "It has been 100% top secret so we've been selling the project as the numbers project and haven't been able to tell anybody at all about it. I think for those who have been involved in the project it's been the opportunity for them to get involved in creating a sculpture...a piece of artwork that had a function."
Seeing our number twelve sculpture in the countdown to the official opening ceremony, along with over a billion people worldwide, is a huge boost to all the artists who took part in the project - Andy Kerr
Over several weeks the scale of the project became more and more apparent, leading to a test run in Sense Sotland's Touchbase community centre.
"When we first saw the finished piece it was amazing," Gow explained. "The first time when we moved it around TouchBase, the guys were peddling it and helping us move it about, that was hilarious. Right away we knew we had made something quite special."
The final stages of the project saw some of the artists gather to take part in the filming for the opening ceremony countdown film.
The big secret was then unveiled to families and friends af the artists as they gathered to watch the opening ceremony at TouchBase Glasgow.
Sense Scotland chief executive Andy Kerr said: "Sense Scotland is immensely proud to be part of Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Seeing our number twelve sculpture in the countdown to the official opening ceremony, along with over a billion people worldwide, is a huge boost to all the artists who took part in the project. We're also delighted that many of the children, young people and adults we support have been invited to attend some of the fantastic sporting events during the games."
Listen to the We are number 12 Spotify playlist.
