Painting based on ‘Forever Holding Hands’ photo to raise funds for NHS charities

An image based on the photograph ‘Forever Holding Hands’, which formed part of the National Portrait Gallery’s Hold Still exhibition, is raising funds for NHS Charities Together. The photograph is of elderly couple Pat and Ron Wood, who spent their last days holding hands in hospital after contracting Covid-19. After the couple’s granddaughter commissioned Worthing artists Stella and Gem Stevens to recreate the photo, the artists offered to paint the image for free suggesting instead that it was used to raise funds for the NHS. NHS Charities Together plans to use some of the funds raised to purchase electronic tablets to enable vulnerable patients, families and carers to connect with one another, plus provide bereavement support for families who lost loved ones; and counselling for staff to support their mental health.   Granddaughter Hayley Evans said: “We were so lucky that we could Facetime my grandparents when they were in hospital and they said how comforting it was to see us. However we know many people are not able to and feel so isolated. Some of the donations to the Appeal will go towards the purchase of electronic tablets, which will help others less fortunate. I saw my grandparents once in hospital, which is when I took the photograph through a visor. It was the last time I ever saw them." The original photo was submitted along with over 31,000 others to the National Portrait Gallery to capture the spirit of the UK during the first national lockdown. Called ‘’Forever Holding Hands”, it was one of the 100 final images selected by the judges and forms part of the Hold Still online exhibition. A print of the original art will be given to Hayley, with the original presented to Worthing Hospital where Ron and Pat were cared for. People can donate online.    

from UK Fundraising https://ift.tt/3tvMYNE