AN AUTHOR and illustrator is auctioning off three paintings and donating free copies of his book to raise money for the UNICEF Ukraine appeal.
Martyn Harvey was born in Plymouth and lived in Penzance most of his younger life. He moved to Ramsgate, Kent where he lived until 2020.
The 59-year-old lost his partner in 2003. Martyn’s daughters now attend university, and so back in 2019 he decided to move to the Wirral with his current partner, Sarah, who has lived on the Wirral all her adult life.
During the first covid lockdown, Martyn had just started doing school Author Visits to launch his career and promote his books.
Martyn said: “I had to think of other ways to promote my first book – ‘The Boy with the Saucepan Hat.’ So, I started running around Parkgate and other places on the Wirral with a Saucepan on my head!
“I’m told it gave Parkgate residents and visitors a lot of fun to see me larking around dressed as the character from my book!”
In February this year, when Russian invaded Ukraine, Martyn was shocked to watch it unfold on television.
He said: “As I watched the BBC News, I was angry and upset to see the lives of civilians and children. Devastated by Putin’s terrible actions I wanted to do something – however small.
“That evening, I drew a couple of quick cartoons showing my pirate characters changing out of their normal pirate outfits into clothes painted with the Ukraine Flag. I posted them on Facebook and had a terrific response from the Parkgate and Neston community.”
Martyn saw that a Parkgate Neston Danceathon is to be held on 1st July at Neston Royal British Legion.
The organisers, Angela and Suzanne, were asking for donations for the raffle so Martyn donated 12 free copies of “The Boy with the Saucepan Hat” to their raffle.
He added: “I decided to go one further and dug out the two paintings I did at the start of the Ukraine War. As this was a fundraiser for that cause, I decided to donate these paintings as well. I’ve completed a third, which shows Squiggly Pete, Lucy and “Little Jack”.”
The paintings are currently selling by auction on eBay (search eBay for “Squiggly Pete”) and bidding has already reached £100. The auction ends at 9:00PM on Saturday 18th June.
All of the proceeds (minus the eBay Fees) will be donated to the UNICEF Ukraine appeal via the Danceathon organisers.
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