Online postcard auction in memory of art-loving Sophie set to raise funds for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
A secret auction featuring over 1,500 original, postcard-sized artworks will raise vital funds for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
St Richard’s Catholic College’s postcard art auction, #sophiespostcard, is taking place for a third time, beginning on Thursday 30 June. The last day to place a bid is Saturday 9 July.
Since 2018, the school in Bexhill-on-Sea has raised over £46,000 for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, which raises money solely for The Royal Marsden, a world-leading cancer centre.
#sophiespostcard is organised by devoted art teacher Miranda Pennington in memory of her student, Sophie Maria Taylor, who was treated at The Royal Marsden. Sophie sadly died of cancer in 2017.
Artwork for the auction is donated each year by professional artists, designers and illustrators, as well as children from St Richard’s Catholic College and the general public. Sir Quentin Blake, illustrator Axel Scheffler, Dame Jacqueline Wilson and author and illustrator Thomas Taylor are just some of the famous names who have donated artwork in the past.
Contributors to this summer’s auction include TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, Turner Prize winners Gilbert & George, winner of the BP Portrait Prize Susanne du Toit, Private Eye cartoonist Jonesy and TV presenter Victoria Coren Mitchell.
Bidders do not know whose work they are bidding on, so part of the fun is trying to recognise the signature style of the hand who drew the artwork. All the postcards have a starting bid of £1 and are auctioned on eBay, and only when the auction closes will the winning bidders find out who the postcards have been created by.
Miranda said: “We’re thrilled with the number and quality of postcards that have been sent to us this year. The breadth of artistic styles is quite astounding, with contributions by professional artists and leading figures in the art world, as well as children at the school. We are very excited to see what happens in the auction and how much we can raise for the amazing Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.”
Antonia Dalmahoy, Managing Director at The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, said: “We are incredibly grateful to St Richard’s Catholic College for their generous support of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity in memory of Sophie. Our work wouldn’t be possible without the amazing support of fundraisers like Sophie’s Postcard.
“The money raised through the auction will make a real difference, helping to fund world-leading research to improve the lives of young cancer patients like Sophie. It’s always so inspiring to see the original and creative artwork that is up for auction, and so I also want to thank the talented artists who take the time to submit their work, and those who kindly bid on it.”
To bid on a postcard, visit: www.ebay.co.uk/usr/sophiessecretpostcardauction
For further press information please contact [email protected] / 0207 808 2605
About The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
At The Royal Marsden we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. And when people entrust their lives to us, they deserve the very best. That’s why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do and why The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity exists.
Thanks to our supporters we continue to be there for everyone who needs us, raising money solely to support the hospital. We ensure our nurses, doctors and research teams can provide the very best care and develop life-saving treatments, which are used across the UK and around the world.
From funding state-of-the-art equipment and ground-breaking research, to creating the very best patient environments, we will never stop looking for ways to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.
The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
For a future beyond cancer.
