Fund raising effort raises money for animal charity in memory of long-standing art class member

A fund-raising effort in memory of a long-standing member of a Wisbech art class has raised more than £100 for animal welfare.

The Octavia Hill art group raised the money in remembrance of Mrs Barbara Bullen, who had staged several exhibitions in the area.

She enjoyed a long connection with the group led by tutor Ian Milburn, which meets in the first home of the town’s most famous daughter at 7 South Brink.

Octavia Hill is celebrated both nationally and internationally as a co-founder of the National Trust, which supplies habitats for wildlife as well as looking after historic buildings, and a pioneering social reformer.

The cash has been donated to the Cambridgeshire Mid East Branch of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which is based at its charity shop in March, and will go towards local animals in its car

PETER KING

Honorary press officer

Octavia Hill’s Birthplace House

EDITOR’S NOTE: Our photo is from six years ago when Barbara, then 81, sold her first painting.

Her love of painting started when she bought a book “How to draw” and in 2009 she joined the art club at Octavia Hill’s Birthplace House.

Mrs Bullen attributed her success to her art teacher Ian Milburn and the support of the members of the art group.

She said: “Selling this painting has given me a huge incentive to carry on and I want to thank Ian and my colleagues at the art club for all their encouragement and advice.”