Online postcard auction in memory of art-loving Sophie set to raise funds for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
A secret auction featuring over 1,500 original, postcard-sized artworks will raise vital funds for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.St Richard’s Catholic College’s postcard art auction, #sophiespostcard, is taking place for a third time, beginning on Thursday 30 June. The last day to place a bid is Saturday 9 July.L Easy Peeler StudySince 2018, the school in Bexhill-on-Sea has raised over £46,000 for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, which raises money solely for The Royal Marsden, a world-leading cancer centre.#sophiespostcard is organised by devoted art teacher Miranda Pennington in memory of her student, Sophie Maria Taylor, who was treated at The Royal Marsden. Sophie sadly died of cancer in 2017.Artwork for the auction is donated each year by professional artists, designers and illustrators, as well as children from St Richard’s Catholic College and the general public. Sir Quentin Blake, illustrator Axel Scheffler, Dame Jacqueline Wilson and author and illustrator Thomas Taylor are just some of the famous names who have donated artwork in the past.Contributors to this summer’s auction include TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, Turner Prize winners Gilbert & George, winner of the BP Portrait Prize Susanne du Toit, Private Eye cartoonist Jonesy and TV presenter Victoria Coren Mitchell.Bidders do not know whose work they are bidding on, so part of the fun is trying to recognise the signature style of the hand who drew the artwork. All the postcards have a starting bid of £1 and are auctioned on eBay, and only when the auction closes will the winning bidders find out who the postcards have been created by.Miranda said: “We’re thrilled with the number and quality of postcards that have been sent to us this year. The breadth of artistic styles is quite astounding, with contributions by professional artists and leading figures in the art world, as well as children at