Go wild for Ludlow artist's new calendar to raise funds for Hope House
A beautifully illustrated wall calendar is set to raise thousands of pounds for Shropshire's Hope House Children's Hospice this Christmas thanks to the generosity of a talented amateur artist and his friends in the printing industry.
Gerry Acton from Ludlow has chosen 12 of his paintings of horses, dogs, birds, cattle and sheep for the calendar which comes in its own presentation sleeve.
Every penny of the £10 cover price will directly help local children and their families who depend on vital care and support from Hope House, near Oswestry, and Ty Gobaith, in North Wales.
The calendar includes some of the paintings of animals at the Guiting Power Rare Breeds Centre, started by Joe Henson, father of Countryfile's Adam Henson. Gerry was commissioned to go there by Massey Ferguson in the 1980s and his paintings were used in their popular calendar for customers.
Although Gerry began his working life as a commercial artist, it was in the field of printing where he built his career, eventually owning a company employing 400 people. It was while giving a talk about his life for Ludlow Friends of Hope House that he had the idea for the calendar.
Vanessa Thomas for Hope House said: "With the help of his printing industry contacts at Blast Design and ITG of Birmingham more than 3,000 copies have been produced free of charge - if they all sell at £10 each that will mean more than £30,000 for Hope House and Ty Gobaith."
People can pick up your copy of Gerry's calendar at any Hope House shop, including Oswestry, Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Church Stretton and Wellington or call Hope House on 01978 262901 for mail order. Postage and packing is £3.50.
Ludlow Friends of Hope House is also hosting a second talk by Gerry – From Painting to Printing and Back Again with a Little Bit of Rugby Thrown In - on October 19 at Ludlow's St Peter's Church Hall at 7pm. Tickets are £10 to include supper and are available from Chairman Norman Tudge on 01584 831243.
