There is some mighty impressive ‘high brow’ and ‘low brow’ action going on at Woodmansterne – all in the name of charity.
The Watford-based publisher – which has raised an astonishing £3 million for charity through the sale of its charity Christmas cards over the years – has just officially opened its Woodmansterne Art Conservation Awards 2018. This special charity initiative, which has been running for 23 years, is now inviting submissions from art galleries, museums and heritage sites looking for much needed funds to conserve their works of art, as well as encouraging post graduate conservation students to apply for bursaries to fund their important work.
With no UK public funding whatsoever for the conservation of works of art in public galleries and museums, since 1995 the Woodmansterne Art Conservation Awards have seen over 60 paintings conserved and many bursaries granted – amounting to an investment of £400,000 by the publisher.
Total grants available this year are in excess of £40,000, with individual grants starting from £500.
Meanwhile, from fine art to the follicles, a trio of the Woodmansterne team have embraced the Mo-vember charity challenge to raise funds to help men’s physical and mental health issues – notably prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention.
While managing director Paul Woodmansterne and creative director Lee Keeper are growing rather dashing moustaches as part of their fundraising activities, senior greeting card designer Helen Dennis, their ‘Mo Sista’ is running 60km this month. “That’s 60 kilometres for the 60 men lost to suicide each hour, every hour. Across the world, men die an average of six years younger than women, and for reasons that are largely preventable. I hope to raise the awareness of how men can take action to live healthier, happier and longer lives,” Helen told PG Buzz.
Top: Three Woodie Mo-uskateers (left-right) Lee Keeper, Helen Dennis and Paul Woodmansterne.
