I've had a busy summer of Aardman related things.
Storm naming is an important public safety tool, helping people notice, remember and discuss severe weather when it has the potential to cause significant impacts. By working with Aardman, the Met Office hopes to reach new audiences and encourage conversations about severe weather preparedness in an engaging and accessible way.
The announcement also forms part of Aardman's 50th anniversary celebrations and comes ahead of the release of Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, which arrives in UK cinemas on the 18th of September.
As a sustainability ambassador and one of Britain's most recognisable animated characters, Shaun has long been associated with themes of nature and the environment, making him a natural fit for a campaign focused on weather awareness and preparedness.
Met Office Head of Warnings and Guidance, Holly Clements, said: "Naming storms helps our weather warnings reach more people and encourages the public to take notice when severe weather is approaching. This collaboration with Aardman gives us a fantastic opportunity to engage new audiences and explain why storm naming matters, helping people understand the risks severe weather can bring and the actions they can take to stay safe."
I've been to Bristol where there was a special exhibition at the MShed, marking 50 years of Aardman.
I also saw another exhibition at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, and the one at the Young V&A in Bethnal Green.
There's now a chance to vote for either Shaun or Timmy to be added to the new list of storm names for 2026-27 which will be announced in September. They have teamed up with the MetOffice. Go to one of their social channels to vote.
- Voting closes at 11:00 am on Friday 21 August 2026
- Members of the public can vote for either Shaun or Timmy
- The vote relates specifically to which Aardman character will be added to this year’s storm names list
- The result of the public vote will be announced on Friday 21 August and included in the 2026/27 storm names list
Predictably some people are saying this is inappropriate as these storms may cause damage and even lead to fatalities... others that we'll soon have sponsored storms... others say it's a bit of fun and raises awareness of why storms are named.
The Met Office say:
Storm naming is an important public safety tool, helping people notice, remember and discuss severe weather when it has the potential to cause significant impacts. By working with Aardman, the Met Office hopes to reach new audiences and encourage conversations about severe weather preparedness in an engaging and accessible way.
The announcement also forms part of Aardman's 50th anniversary celebrations and comes ahead of the release of Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, which arrives in UK cinemas on the 18th of September.
As a sustainability ambassador and one of Britain's most recognisable animated characters, Shaun has long been associated with themes of nature and the environment, making him a natural fit for a campaign focused on weather awareness and preparedness.
Met Office Head of Warnings and Guidance, Holly Clements, said: "Naming storms helps our weather warnings reach more people and encourages the public to take notice when severe weather is approaching. This collaboration with Aardman gives us a fantastic opportunity to engage new audiences and explain why storm naming matters, helping people understand the risks severe weather can bring and the actions they can take to stay safe."
Hopefully we won't reach 'S' in the alphabet next year....
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