Local charities to benefit from art contest wins

The Sam Driver White Memorial Art Competition drew almost 50 entries from all over the city, from all ages, and ten winners were chosen by judges including Laura White, lecturer in fine art at Goldsmiths College in London, Georgina Terry, head of art at the King’s School and David Blake from Worcester City Council.

Each winner has chosen a charity to receive £250 from Harrison Clark Rickerbys’ own charitable trust – Sam Driver White was the firm’s former senior partner and the firm created the contest to honour his commitment to arts in the city.

The trust donates money several times a year to local good causes, but has earmarked money this year for the winners’ charities, which range from MIND to Worcester Snoezelen, the special care baby unit at Worcestershire Royal Hospital and Breast Cancer Haven.

Money raised by the firm’s family law team at a highly successful Monsters Ball at the Chateau Impney in November will support the competition, and help provide funds for a wide range of projects – this year, for instance, it has given £1,000 for a specially adapted rowing machine for New College, Worcester, and gave £500 of funding to the Worcestershire Live festival.

The winners and their charities are:

• Hetty Meen – Breast Cancer Haven
• Rupert Seldon – Little Princess Trust
• Bibi Rozier – Acorns hospice
• James Greenoff-Cairns – MIND
• WAW advanced pottery class – Grace Kelly Ladybird Trust
• Michael Whitefoot – Worcester Festival Choral Society
• Max Hodgetts – Cystic Fibrosis Trust
• Cerys Cowan – Special care baby unit at Worcestershire Royal Hospital
• Class 3HC, Regency High School – Helping Birmingham’s Homeless
• Jack Tyrer, Poppy Laws and Clara Dodgson – Worcester Snoezelen.

Their work, along with all the entries, will be on display at the Guildhall from Monday 18 December until Christmas, with a presentation on the first day. The winning entries will then be framed and mounted, ready to be hung on the walls for all visitors to enjoy at Harrison Clark Rickerbys Worcester offices.

Jonathan Brew, the firm’s current senior partner, said: ” We are were delighted by the range and creativity of the entries – it has been a real pleasure to be involved in the competition and it will be even more of a pleasure to be able to use our trust’s funds for such good causes. I congratulate all our winners but I am very grateful to all those who entered, who have made this such a success.”

Elaine Haines, the firm’s Business Development and Marketing Director, said: “We are extremely grateful to Worcester City Council for their support for the exhibition, as well as to our very generous anonymous donor, who enabled us to open up new prize categories, and to the Worcester branch of the London Camera Exchange, who have helped us tremendously with the printing.”