Somerset pub serves up art with its cider
One of Somerset’s oldest cider houses supports Children’s Hospice South West with watercolour sales in its new café bar.
Tucker’s Grave Inn, based in Faulkland, is marking the opening of its newly built café bar with a wall of watercolours on sale to support families helped by Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW).
The new café features framed limited edition prints from local artist David Graham, who is donating all profits to support the charity in its thirtieth anniversary year of giving care to children with life limiting conditions.
“I’m really thrilled that we can give a home to David’s beautiful watercolours in our new café space – many are of local landscapes here and in the South West,” said Jo Watts, Landlady of Tucker’s Grave. “Every penny of profit goes to Children’s Hospice South West and we want to support David’s fundraising and help the charity to carry on doing what it does so well – giving families happy and precious memories and supporting people through the toughest of times.”
David began fundraising for CHSW earlier in the year and has now raised £1,000 through the sale of his paintings.
“I’m really grateful to Tucker’s for joining me to fundraise for Children’s Hospice South West. I feel honoured to have a place in their new café bar, which is a new chapter for this historic pub, all in such a fabulous rural setting. I hope together we can inspire people to make a purchase in aid of this wonderful charity that does so much for young people and families in our area.”
David took up painting when he retired from work and set himself the target of working away at his hobby until he was able to sell his artwork in aid of children’s charities. So far he has raised over £10,000 for a number of different charities.
“We love David’s landscape paintings and would like to thank everyone who has bought a painting so far to help us give children and families a safe haven of friendship, care and support, said Emily Mitchard, Area Fundraiser at CHSW. “The paintings look fabulous on display at Tucker’s and we’re so grateful to Jo for joining forces with David to fundraise for us.”
David grew up in the Lake District, where he first developed his love of landscapes, and after training as an engineer moved to the south west for his career spanning teaching and research at the University of Bath, and a directorship at Wessex Water.
The Tucker’s cafe prints feature much loved landscapes, towns and seascapes from the South West including Ammerdown, Bath, Padstow and Dartmouth, plus views further afield including the Grand Canal in Venice.
The café bar at Tucker’s is a new venture for Jo and husband Brian, bringing a whole new indoor space to the 200-year-old grade 1 listed pub.
The framed paintings are on sale for £90, with £50 going direct to CHSW. The paintings are printed at cost by Pricelis Art and framed ready to hang at home.