Teen's art project raises £150k for Colchester hospital

A 13-year-old boy has raised more than £150,000 for the hospital that cares for him after his artwork was auctioned online.

Noah, who has hydrocephalus, epilepsy and cerebral palsy, began painting on cardboard at home in Dedham, Essex, two years ago.

His father posted on Instagram, asking artists to finish the pictures.

An auction of the work was so successful that the family decided to repeat the project.

More than 500 artists from around the world got involved across both projects.

The first eBay auction last year raised £100,000 for Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals Charity, which will be used for a new sensory room and garden.

The latest auction raised an extra £47,800 plus a further £10,000 from book sales and donations, which will be used to improve Colchester Hospital's neonatal unit.

The family made the original art into a book, called Background Bob, and the work was exhibited at Firstsite gallery in Colchester.

Noah's father Nathan Jones said the family wanted to thank everyone who had bid on the pieces and all the artists who got involved.

"Our art family are truly incredible and we'll never be able to thank you enough for the love shown for our little legend, Background Bob," he said.

"We never would have thought back in lockdown that we would have connected with so many people.

"It's been a beautiful project to run and your involvement and enthusiasm for it all has definitely been a bright light in our world."

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