Gallery Tresco was recently transformed for an extraordinary fundraising evening – A Patchwork of Paintings – raising over £7,000 for The Island Haven.
The event was the creation of islander Duffy Bloomfield-Crowe, who combined her love of art and creativity with the desire to support The Island Haven.
Almost 100 islanders, visitors, school children and artists with links with and love for Scilly generously donated a 20 x 20cm canvas, each painted with their unique interpretation of the islands – from white sand beaches and blue agapanthus to colourful puffins and magical sunsets. This collective effort, this shared love for our islands, made this event a true celebration of Scilly, in aid of the island’s own charity.
Several tickets were available for advance purchase online, with the remainder for sale at Gallery Tresco on the evening of the event on Wednesday, 10th July. The best bit is that – with a limited number of tickets available for purchase, everyone was a guaranteed winner!
In a display of extraordinary generosity, some of the fantastic artists even went above and beyond by donating full-size canvases and bespoke artwork. This unexpected act of kindness meant that some lucky ticket holders received even more than they might have bargained for, adding an element of delightful surprise to the evening.
Thanks to the hard work of Duffy and her small team of helpers, the walls of Gallery Tresco were adorned with almost 100 pieces of artwork for the evening. We’re truly grateful to the Gallery Tresco team and Duffy – a busy mum of three – for their time, dedication, and the inspiration they brought to this event at the height of the summer season.
Gallery Manager Anna Parkes and Gallery Assistant Rachel Young spent many hours arranging an array of art from the likes of Tom Rickman, Maggie O’Brien, Gary Long, Iona Sanders, Nick Botting, Marie Mills, Gary Long, Imogen Bone, Richard Pearce, Lizzie Black and Stuart Kettle.
The evening was enjoyed by a crowd of Tresco islanders, guests and Islandshare Owners. They enjoyed browsing the artwork before discovering what they had won as Islandshare Director Dean Whillis conducted the draw.
In addition to the hard work of Duffy and the Gallery Tresco team, Tresco Island supported the event with light refreshments, meaning that the evening raised an incredible £7,261 for The Island Haven. This significant amount will greatly contribute to the charity’s mission of providing a place for the people and visitors of Scilly to stay when undergoing medical treatment on the mainland.
The island charity is fundraising to provide a place for the people and visitors of Scilly to stay when undergoing medical treatment on the mainland. The Island Haven will provide, equip and operate a place for the people and visitors of Scilly to stay when undergoing medical care, providing dedicated, affordable accommodation when it really matters: a place to stay in times of need.
Thanks to the support of the people and visitors of Scilly, a house has now been purchased, just a few minutes walk from Treliske Hospital in Truro. However, the challenge is still ongoing, as funds must now be raised for the renovation, equipping and ongoing running costs of the property.
The charity receives no government funding and has no paid staff, so it relies wholly on the dedication of volunteer fundraisers to raise the funds needed to make this much-needed facility a reality.
All images with grateful thanks to Ellie Tabron Island Images