Warwickshire charity art auction to support children in Nepal
A charity which supports disadvantaged children and young adults living in the shadows of the Himalayas is looking to raise funds with an art auction.New Futures Nepal, which is based in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, has been running for 20 years.It was set up by Andrew Small who learned about a centre for orphaned and disabled children in Kathmandu while he was trekking in one of the world's poorer countries."Nepal changed my life forever," said Mr Small, who created the charity to help youngsters in Nepal to find jobs and homes.
Mr Small said he was "impressed" by how many Midlands artists had agreed to provide pieces of work for the auction."With help and support, many of our youngsters go on to find jobs and a home and are able to give back to their community. So any contribution makes such a difference," he said.There are dozens of different artworks in the auction, which closes on the day of the fundraising dinner.
Also taking part is French artist Alan Reullier, whose latest work centres on the heritage of the motor industry in the Midlands. He has a collection of original drawings from British Motor Heritage Ltd, dating from the 1800s to the late 1970s, which were being digitised and couldn't be stored.He took ownership of them on the proviso that they could not be resold in their original form, so he reimagined them, turning them into pieces of artwork that have been sold around the world."I'm delighted to help New Futures Nepal," he said. "Children should always have access to education and care wherever they are in the world. The charity is doing valuable work and I hope all these artistic contributions will make a huge difference."
Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Sydney airport's lost property auction puts weird and wonderful on the radar
Violins, frying pans, vacuum cleaners and lots and lots of belts. The terminals of Australia's busiest airports may provide a cross-section of society, but Sydney airport's annual lost property auction gives a glimpse into the bizarre items travellers are carrying – and the traps of forgetfulness that unite us. More than 40 million people passed through Sydney airport's terminals last year, losing thousands of possessions. More than 7,000 of these items were reunited with their owners but about 2,000 others remained unclaimed, and are now being auctioned off in the fundraising drive for charity that the airport conducts each year. Much of the list of lost property is unsurprising: clothing, laptops, duty-free purchases, and the vast range of objects containing metal that many had to remove when passing through security screening. This is seen in the large range of belts on offer – more than 100, ranging from designer to others sold in bundles of threes. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email There's also plenty of tech left behind – more than 250 laptops and 200 earbuds or headphones. While there are brand new AirPods being sold in their boxes, there are other lots listing multiple pairs of the headphone, with pictures showing varying degrees of damage, questionable cleanliness, and unverified authenticity. Residents living near the airport may be interested in several other noise-cancelling headphones on offer. Then there's the jewellery. More than 400 lots are up for auction, including bundles of gold bangles, diamond and pearl rings, necklaces and watches. While all lots begin at $10, bidding on some had risen to almost $1,000 in the hours after the auction was launched on Monday. There's plenty of bargain potential, organisers say. Brand new perfumes and bottles of spirits and wines – likely purchased in duty-free shops – are relisted for sale, in their unopened state, starting at $10. This year's Sydney airport lost property auction is aimed at raising funds to pay for swimming lessons for thousands of local children. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion 'This auction is more than just a chance to score a great find, it's about giving back to our local community,' the airport's corporate affairs general manager, Josh Clements, said. The airport curfew reduces noise between 11pm and 6am but those struggling to sleep for other reasons could pick up a cheap CPAP sleep apnoea treatment device, among some of the more unusual finds. Other oddities include an Electrolux vacuum cleaner, and an unrelated, and perhaps erroneously titled, 'Hooverboard' – likely abandoned by a traveller unaware the self-balancing mobility devices had been banned from the air by many carriers. Popular items on Monday morning included an 18-carat gold bracelet, with 19 bidders pushing the price up to $600. A black Gucci bag had 14 bidders willing to pay up to $320. The auction is being conducted by Theodore Bruce Auctioneers and Valuers. Director Casi Prischi said the auction was one of its most loved events. 'People from all over Australia log in to bid, not just for the bargains but because it supports something meaningful.' The airport has kicked in $100,000 with hopes the auction can secure another $200,000 to fund swimming lessons for children in Sydney's inner west, over where planes descend on approach to the airport. Sydney airport has been auctioning off lost property for years, raising more than $1.9m since 2013. For a Guardian feature in 2024, then airport service centre manager Katrina Lee said most of the unclaimed property the airports holds was mundane – stray toothbrushes and toiletries left behind in bathrooms. But special-edition Beatles records, a circular saw, hedge trimmer and sun lounge were among the more peculiar items auctioned off in 2023. 'There are [also] some more colourful items that we find … personal pleasure items,' Lee said. 'We had one bag that was completely full of items of that nature, and the lady who rang up about it … she had no qualms about ringing,' Lee said. '[When] they're what floats your boat, you want them back.' With Australian Associated Press
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
RecipeTin Eats founder Nagi Maehashi in tears over a stranger's handwritten note: 'Something weird happened'
Australia's beloved food blogger Nagi Maehashi was left stunned by a stranger's random act of kindness at a restaurant - a surprise gesture that brought her to tears. The RecipeTin Eats founder was dining at the acclaimed seafood restaurant Saint Peter in Sydney with a friend when a nearby patron quietly footed the bill for their meals on Thursday night. Maehashi only discovered her bill had been taken care of when she went to pay, and was surprised when staff gave her a handwritten note from the kind stranger. 'So something really weird, incredible and amazing just happened. Someone actually picked up the bill for us,' she said in a video posted on her Instagram. 'Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I don't even know who it was because it's anonymous. Kind donors paid for our dinner. 'Whoever my dinner fairy was... thank you.' The note read: 'Nagi, we acknowledge you're not taking donations for RecipeTin Meals. Keep up the great work.' The act of kindness has struck a chord with fans of Maehashi, many of whom have followed her recipes for years - and more recently, admired her for her commitment to charity. Through her not-for-profit food bank RecipeTin Meals, Maehashi funds and prepares over 500 meals every day for vulnerable individuals and families across Sydney. She does not accept public donations and instead funds the initiative herself, using profits from her popular website and best-selling cookbooks. 'I have tears in my eyes because Nagi is generous with her time and money with her food bank and yet when someone can do a small gesture like this for her to acknowledge all she does it brings tears to her eyes,' one fan said. 'Why am I crying?! How beautiful,' another shared. 'Absolutely love this random act of kindness for you Nagi. So many people see the incredible work you do. You're a national treasure,' one shared. 'So many people see the incredible work you do, Nagi. You're a national treasure,' another added. Even culinary royalty had their say, with Nigella Lawson calling the stranger's gesture as 'so lovely, and so deserved.' The heartwarming moment comes just weeks after Maehashi made global headlines by accusing TikTok star and fellow cookbook author Brooke Bellamy of plagiarism. In a post shared on her website and social media, Maehashi claimed Bellamy's debut cookbook Bake With Brooki featured two recipes that closely resembled her own: caramel slice and baklava. The heartwarming moment comes just weeks after Maehashi made global headlines by accusing TikTok star and fellow cookbook author Brooke Bellamy (right) of plagiarism Maehashi alleged Penguin Australia, the publisher of Bellamy's cookbook, had 'exploited' her work without permission. 'To me, the similarities are so specific and detailed that calling these a coincidence feels disingenuous,' Maehashi claimed. 'There are also recipes from other authors… where the similarities are so extensive, dismissing it as coincidence would be absurd (in my opinion).' Maehashi said she felt compelled to speak out against the publishing giant. 'Staying silent protects this kind of behaviour,' she said. Bellamy has since responded on Instagram to vehemently deny the accusations. Despite the stress of the ongoing controversy, the unexpected kindness from a pair of anonymous diners served as a moment of gratitude - and a reminder of how much Maehashi's work means to everyday Australians. 'That's so classy and thoughtful,' one fan wrote. 'You deserve all the kindness that comes your way,' another shared. 'Good things always come around to good people,' one added.
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Jason Sudeikis offers touching tribute to uncle George Wendt after his passing at 76
Jason Sudeikis spent the weekend in his hometown of Kansas City over the weekend for his annual Big Slick charity event, where he also opened up about his late uncle, George Wendt. The beloved Cheers star passed away in his sleep on May 20 at 76 years of age, as a slew of stars paid tribute including his co-stars such as Ted Danson. Sudeikis was asked about his uncle during a Friday press conference for ahead of the Big Slick Celebrity Weekend fundraiser for Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. After saying he was an 'amazing guy,' the microphone cut out, as he joked, 'that's him messing with the sound board, like "Don't talk about me, quit talking about me."' 'I mean, there's that old saying of like, "Don't meet your heroes," usually because "they let you down," I assume, is the back half of that statement. But he's not one of those people,' Sudeikis said of Wendt (via Kansas City TV station KSHB 41). 'He's as fun and kind and as warm as any character he played on television or in films,' Sudeikis said of his uncle. The beloved Cheers star passed away in his sleep on May 20 at 76 years of age, as a slew of stars paid tribute including his co-stars such as Ted Danson. 'He was an incredible influence to me, both as someone that plays the trail, being from the Midwest and teaching me that acting was a career you could actually have, if you really care about it,' he added. Sudeikis continued, 'He also always kept connected to his family, to his roots — both in Chicago, of course, where he's from, but then also the time he spent here, going to Rockhurst University (in Kansas City).' Sudeikis joked that he also went to, 'a bar called Mike's a whole bunch, where I think he logged maybe 18 credit hours.' 'But it was all in preparation of a job that we all know him for, Cheers. All time well spent. But yeah, we miss him greatly, and I love him dearly.' Sudeikis helps organize the annual event along with other notable Kansas City natives like Rob Riggle, Paul Rudd, Eric Stonestreet, Heidi Gardner, which Wendt would often participate in. Riggle added, 'I'll just say as you know as an observer too, George was always willing to participate. He was always an active participant in Big Slick whether he was umpiring the game, on stage whatever it was. He was easy with a laugh and always fun to be around.' Rudd admitted that Wendt's absence, 'will be felt,' adding, 'he's so a part of it, just as much as any of us. He is a really really sweet guy. I loved him.' The weekend culminates with a celebrity softball game, with Sudeikis honoring his uncle by wearing a Kansas City Royals jersey with Wendt 76 on the back. Last June, Wendt appeared on the Still Here Hollywood podcast with Steve Kmetko, where Wendt said his nephew Sudeikis was, 'so smart' and 'so thoughtful.' 'Very proud. Proud especially, you know, not only of the success, but he's solid. Have you read profiles and stuff? I mean he is such a mensch,' Wendt said. He also recalled Sudeikis' interview, when he was asked whether his uncle gave him any advice regarding his career. 'And Jason goes — he's so sharp — he goes, "Yeah he told me just get on the best show on television and one of the greatest shows of all time and just pretty much take it from there." And he goes, "So I did." He got on SNL,' Wendt said.
