Celebrities doodle for Cornish wildlife

22/11/2012 09:20:56 Doodle auction in aid of Cornwall Wildlife Trust

November 2012. Unique celebrity doodles by the likes of Joanna Lumley and Frank Skinner, are set to raise vital funds for Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust has been protecting Cornwall's wildlife both on land and in the seas since 1962 and is the county's leading wildlife conservation charity. As part of its 50th Anniversary celebrations, the Trust has invited well-known celebrities from stage, screen, sport, art, illustration, books, and science to draw marine themed doodles and donate them to Cornwall Wildlife Trust. 28 celebrities have so far sent in their doodles, including Kurt Jackson, Jo Brand, Emma Thompson, Bill Oddie, Richard E Grant, Sir Ben Kingsley, Joanna Lumley, Michael Murpurgo, Michael Winner, Frank Skinner, Antony Cotton, Daniel O'Donnell and Sharron Davies to name but a few!

Oddity
Bill Oddie, national treasure, conservationist and star of the Goodies, was the first to create a doodle. Although it might have been expected that his doodle would feature birds, he decided to present a full page doodle entitled ‘Never Mind the Pollacks, What About the Whales? Whoever told them they could sing?' His whales are doodled singing amongst other numbers, that old time favourite ‘Whale Meat Again' and ‘Salmon-chanted Evening'. For the lucky bidder, as with all the doodles, comes an autograph endorsing that this was all his own work.

Amongst the celebrities the work of local artists has not been forgotten. Rebecca Cobb is an up and coming illustrator gaining a national reputation working with authors such as Julia Donaldson and Helen Dunmore, and Michael Foreman is an internationally recognized illustrator who also works with local authors on children's' books about Cornwall. Artist Kurt Jackson is renowned for his Cornish landscapes and needs no introduction to the local community.

Titchmarsh
Gardener Alan Titchmarsh has doodled a dolphin - jumping out of the water over a penguin, with the catch phrase ‘Nothing in life is black and white - except us - and zebras', while Coronation Street stars Angela Griffin and Antony Cotton have doodled crabs and dolphins.

Michael Morpurgo, author of Warhorse, has written a doodle explaining that just as an orchestra tunes up, an athlete warms up, as an author he writes. Incorporated in his writing he has included a drawing of an oyster catcher with the comment ‘now you see why I only doodle writing'.

Keith Hambly-Staite, Cornwall Wildlife Trustee says "Our Celebrity Doodle auction offers a great way to get a piece of original art work from celebrities and nationally recognised book illustrators as well as supporting the work of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust. The fun, and in some cases the fantasy, of the doodles reflects the marine work of the Trust and the fun that can be enjoyed on wildlife adventures."

Dania Shaw, Marketing and Fundraising Co-ordinator for Cornwall Wildlife Trust comments, "We are thrilled to have received such a large number of doodles from such a diverse group of celebrities, and following the launch of the auction on eBay in the autumn bidding is expected to be intense. Through this exciting auction of wonderful wildlife doodles, we hope to raise over £5000 for Cornwall's wildlife and wild places"

For your chance to own an original, signed piece of art work from your favourite celebrity, whilst at the same time donating funds for future of the wildlife of Cornwall, please visit www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/doodle from Thursday 22nd November.