16 Nov 2017 Community

Get Personal this Christmas

Local artist, Richard Gawthorpe, along with keen photographer, Darren Whitehead, support Kirkwood Hospice this Christmas with its Personalised Christmas Card Scheme.

Every year, Kirkwood Hospice offers a popular series of yuletide cards, printed with your very own personalised message for friends, relatives and business colleagues to enjoy.

With 100% of all sales going towards patient care, The Personalised Card scheme is the perfect way to organise your festive cards while supporting Kirkwood Hospice.

This year’s four festive designs feature the skills of local painter, Richard Gawthorpe, and photography competition-winner, Darren Whitehead, with each card depicting winter life around Kirklees.

Artist, Richard Gawthorpe, with 'Christmas Dinner'.

 

Watercolour and colour-blind artist, Richard, has been supporting Kirkwood Hospice for over 25 years and has raised a phenomenal £300,000 in fundraising towards to Dalton-based charity.

Creating two designs each year towards the scheme, this year is no exception with Richard’s new contributions for 2017 being ‘A View from Emley’ and ‘Christmas Dinner’.

Painted through surgeon’s glasses for precision, each piece of art from Richard can take anywhere between 20 and 400 hours.

Richard, who has been Chairman of the Committee for The British Watercolour Society, The British Society of Painters and the International Guild of Artists said:

“I do my paintings to raise funds to help people and my dealings here over the past 25 years have been just delightful."

Photography Competition Winner, Darren Whitehead, with Kirkwood Media & Marketing Officer, Lucy Green

 

Darren, who is owner and joint-director of family business and residential care home, Meadow Court in Slaithwaite, entered Kirkwood’s Personalised Card Photography Competition back in March with his beautiful photograph entitled ‘Robin in the Snow’.

A keen amateur photographer, this is the first competition Darren has entered and couldn’t believe his luck when he found out he was the winner back in August.

Talented Darren will be spreading the word about his achievement with friends and family on Facebook and encouraging others to get involved with Kirkwood’s Personalised Card Scheme.

"I do my paintings to raise funds to help people and my dealings here over the past 25 years have been just delightful." Richard Gawthorpe

He said: “I’m really pleased with myself and can’t think of a better cause. It’s a nice bit of pride for me!

“I’ll put the brochure and the booking forms in pride of place at the care home. I know one chap in particular who will be very keen as he’s an avid bird watcher and supports a lot of charities.”

To find out more about Kirkwood’s Personalised Card Scheme and to place an order, please click here or contact the Fundraising Team on: 01484 557911 or on email at: events@kirkwoodhospice.co.uk

Richard exhibits five times a year and will be attending this weekend’s Christmas Fair. More information about his artwork can be found at: www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/richardgawthorpe