Portsmouth High School girls raise money for Charles Dickens Statue Fund

Added: (Sat Feb 04 2012)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Girls at Portsmouth High School have been raising money for the Charles Dickens Statue Fund, in the run up to the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens' birthday.



The Fund is raising money to fund a permanent statue of Charles Dickens in Portsmouth.



Professor Pointon, Chairman of the Statue Fund, went to the school to speak to the girls about his love of Charles Dickens books, about the author’s life and about the Statue Fund.



Girls at the school then demonstrated a Design and Technology class where he assisted them in making Charles Dickens themed mugs and book marks in the shape of quills. The quills had the image of Charles Dickens digitized on them and the titles of his books laser cut on the hi tech light gathering acrylic. Professor Pointon said, "It's quite an experience to see these images and souvenirs made so brilliantly by modern technology. Charles Dickens would be thrilled skinny to see these! He was so interested in all modern developments."



Both Sellene and Charlotte have been invited to join in the City's official Charles Dickens birthday celebrations on Tuesday 7th February at the New Theatre Royal. They will have a stand in the Theatre and will be selling their mugs and book marks. All monies raised will be donated to the Statue Fund. The girls have made personalised mugs to present to the visiting actors who will be helping with the birthday celebrations. Among them will be the Isle of Wight’s Sheila Hancock OBE, Simon Callow, Timothy West, Prunella Scales and Brian Murphy.



Sellene said, “I’m really looking forward to selling the mugs to raise money and awareness about the Charles Dickens Statue Fund. I have a personal interest too as one of my ancestors, Charles West (founder of Great Ormond Street Hospital) was a friend of Charles Dickens“.



Charlotte added, “I’m really looking forward to going to the Theatre on 7th February and selling the mugs and presenting the personalised mugs to the actors, the Lord Mayor and even Charles Dickens great great grandson!”



Anyone wishing to donate to Portsmouth High School’s Statue Fund fundraising is asked to contact Kate Shaw at k.shaw@por.gdst.net or telephone 023 9282 6714.