Stephen Fry Among Artists for Hospice Campaign

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British comedian and actor Stephen Fry, who lent his voice to the UK versions of the Harry Potter audiobooks, is among the celebrities lending their artistic talents to a fundraising campaign for a hospice in Jarrow, England. The campaign, called Have a Heart for the Hospice, supports St. Clare’s Hospice, an organization that provides palliative care to those in the South Tyneside region.

Along with others (including British Prime Minister David Cameron), Fry has anonymously decorated a wooden heart. As the Shields Gazette reports,

The hearts […] will go on display at the Customs House in Mill Dam, South Shields, from November 17 to 22, with South Shields­-born animator Sheila Graber, who worked on the Paddington Bear TV series, compering a special invitation-only preview evening on November 16.

Graber said of the campaign,

There have been contributions from TV presenters, community groups, politicians, actors, comedians, and professional artists. They have taken the time to produce artwork from the heart to help raise funds for one of the worthiest causes in our community. Do try to find the time to give your support and purchase a heart; maybe you will be inspired to go home and get creative yourself.

Tyler Anderson, a community fundraiser for St. Clare’s Hospice, explained how the sale of the hearts will work:

We plan to exhibit around 200 hearts, and all the hearts will be offered for sale on an anonymous basis. There will be a two[-]tier pricing system and a silent auction on certain special hearts.

He added,

However[,] the identity of the artist will not be disclosed until after people have purchased their piece of art, although a full list of contributors will be published in a catalogue.

The idea behind the anonymity is that those donating will be able to choose the hearts that they like best, regardless of who created them. The artist behind each heart will only be revealed once it has been sold, and each heart will come with a certificate of authenticity.

For more information on the Have a Heart for the Hospice campaign, you can read the article from the Shields Gazette here or visit the St. Clare’s Hospice website.

What do you think of this idea? Are you interested in purchasing a heart?