The front cover of this issue is up for auction. It is by Helen Blizard. Helen, a former Top of the Pops singer, has performed in the West End and as a TV actress and scriptwriter for EastEnders, Fools and Horses, and London’s Burning. She is also an avid supporter of local charity Their Future Today. As well as recent-ly cycling in the Prudential MyRide London raising almost £900, she is also donating the proceeds of one of her beautiful art-works (see cover page- bids from £500) to help raise much needed funds.
Helen has visited projects in Sri Lanka with Lynn Stanier MBE Founder and CEO of Their Future Today several times, as a volun-teer art therapist, music and drama teacher, working with babies and toddlers in an or-phanage and also an institution for abused and abandoned girls of up to 18 years old.
She said “It has been a completely life-changing experience to work with them. The children’s sheer joy and enthusiasm, when either singing, dancing or painting is infec-tious and the sheer delight of seeing them express their natural creativity is a wonder to behold”. This summer, Helen’s much antici-pated trip out there was cancelled due to COVID. Its been difficult to hear and see the plight of the poorest families, the children and mothers suffering due to the lockdown, with no income, support or resources to feed them-selves or their children and this puts children at greater risk of abandonment into harmful orphanages.
In response, Their Future Today has delivered healthy food parcels, hygiene products and seeds every week, to prevent malnutrition and keep 1200 muliti-generational families from suffering abject poverty and starvation. Lynn said. “ our services have never been more needed during these difficult times but like many small charities funding has reduced. We are so grateful to Helen, Twirltour Travel clients and many local residents for their con-tinued donations to provide over 150,000 meals. Lives are being saved daily and fami-lies have been able to remain together thanks to support from generous Sunbury residents.
If you would like a private viewing, make a bid, get involved or make a donation, please contact joel@theirfutureroday.com www.theirfuturetoday.com Artwork by Helen Blizard www.blizart.net.