The art of decorating
(Herald Express 12/1/2006)

PRIZE-GIVING: the young artists are pictured with their winning entries. Back row from left: Jan Davies, Ros Taylor, Christiane Kubrick and Lady Verulam.

Young artists from Hertfordshire have done their bit to help the Hospice of St Francis and also made an early contribution to the decoration of the new premises.

An art competition has brought in £500 for the Dig Deep campaign and allowed some talented youngsters to see their works displayed in public.

Jan Davis, a hospice volunteer, organised the competition and was impressed by the standard of works submitted.
She said: "I decided it would be quite nice to involve children in the community in raising some money for the hospice. The standard was very good and the judges had a terrible time getting the entries down to the last six in each category."

The competition, given the theme 'friends', was open to all children within the hospice catchment area and was divided into three age categories.
Jan said: "We suggested an amount of £1 for an entry and we made about £500 so that's a lot of entries! We had paintings from all over the area. Six from each category were selected by judges to be exhibited at the Hemel Hempstead library just before Christmas."

On Tuesday evening the winners of each category were announced by judges Lady Verulam and artist Christiane Kubrick, widow of the famous film director.
Jan said: "Other judging had been done by artist and hospice patient Toby Russell-Winter and Natalie Hooper. All the entries were given certificates and a badge and the winners were given art vouchers.
"The winning three pieces are going to be framed and displayed in the new hospice when it's completed. Every child that entered will have their names put in a book of thanks which will be kept at the hospice."

The winners of the three categories were: George Brandon of Berkhamsted Collegiate School in the years one and two, Dominic Kelly of St Cuthbert Mayne RC school in the years three and four section and Elizabeth Merrill of Pixies Hill in the years five and six group.