A special charity event in memory of a former Shrewsbury Mayoress is being held next month.
ART at FORD HOUSE is a very special charity art exhibition being organised by the Shropshire Art Society to honour the memory of the late Judy Townsend, wife to Shrewsbury Town Councillor Alan Townsend, and long-standing Treasurer of the society.
Judy passed away in July 2011 having being diagnosed with oral cancer the year before.
In life she worked tirelessly to raise more than £20,000 for Severn Hospice and, when she became ill, she and her family found themselves on the receiving end of its excellent service and care.
ART at FORD HOUSE will be held at Haystacks Barn, Ford House, from August 31 to September 2 by the kind permission of Mr and Mrs Richard Burbidge.
The exhibited art works will be donated by members of the Shropshire Art Society and sold in support of Severn Hospice.
Councillor Townsend said: “Art Society members are being asked to donate a piece of work, and both I and my daughter Sally will be joining in and offering our own paintings for sale. Judy would have loved the idea. She was a talented artist and will definitely be smiling and encouraging people to come and buy a painting for such a great cause.”
Shropshire Art Society Chairman, Wilf Langford, added: “We wanted to find a way to honour the extraordinary contribution that Judy made to the society and at the same time support the charity that Judy herself championed. Not only will it be a wonderful opportunity for members of the public to view the work of Shropshire artists in a particularly splendid setting, but it is hoped that sales of the paintings and crafts on show will raise a significant sum for Severn Hospice. Ford House is a fantastic venue for the event, and we are tremendously grateful to the Burbidge family for donating their gallery space to us on this occasion.”
Entry to the ART at FORD HOUSE exhibition is free to the public on Saturday [1 SEP] and Sunday [2 SEP] from 10.30am to 4.30pm, though donations will be welcome.
Coffee, tea and cakes will be available on Sunday.
The ticket-only exhibition preview will be held on the Friday [31 AUG], when the exhibition will be officially opened by Gabrielle Drake in the presence of Paul Cronin, Chief Executive of Severn Hospice.
A limited number of tickets for the preview are available at £10 per person from Alan Townsend on 01743 236302.
For further information contact Suzi Wilkinson, Marketing & Promotions Officer on: 01743 257654 or email suzi.wilkinson-stc@shropshire.gov.uk