We were very impressed with the Bloomsbury Art Fair that took place back in July at Goodenough College, near Russell Square. So last week we thought we’d pop along to the presentation at Outer Temple Chambers on The Strand, to see how much they’d raised for charity. We hopped into the lift with the very dapper, tux-clad Will O’Reilly, formerly of Christie’s who had auctioned off all of artworks at the fair. After muttering that we suddenly felt very underdressed, he reassured us that he was only dressed to impress for an event at the Savoy, following the presentation. Darling!
We arrived just in time to hear the speeches and scoff some of the delicious canapés circling the room. Set up in aid of Southern Spinal Injuries Trust (SSIT), a charity in the South and South West of England that is building a pioneering rehabilitation garden in the grounds of their Spinal Treatment Centre, and Motivation, Bloomsbury Art Fair attracted a solid 3,000 visitors – which isn’t bad for an inaugural event – and as we found out on Tuesday, raised an astonishing £60,000 for the charities. Fair coodinator Eva Anderson presented Lisa Cattermole Watkins and David Constantine from Motivation with a cheque for £15,000, the same went to the Parachute Regiment Charity and Kate Chapple (aunt to Horatio Chapple, who was sadly killed by a polar bear in August) accepted £15,000 on the behalf of SSIT. The rehabiliation garden will be named ‘Horatio’s Garden’ in loving memory of the teenager. The presentation also marked the launch of the 2012 Bloomsbury Art Fair that will be helping Motivation, the Southern Spinal Injuries Trust and Walking With The Wounded.
The second Bloomsbury Art Fair opens at Goodenough College, Mecklenburgh Square from 6-8 July 2012 with a private view on the 5th July. For more information [click here]
Lisa Cattermole Watkins (Motivation) and Eva Anderson.
Freya Simms (GongMuse Communications) and George Crofton (Art Director for Bloomsbury Art Fair 2012)
Lisa Gunn (artist) and Victoria Holton (Coordinator for Bloomsbury Art Fair 2012)
Kate Chapple and Eva Anderson.
Photos taken by Megan McCall.