insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 01 - March 2015 | Page 9

news LAST CHANCE TO VIEW BIG HEART-WORKS The online gallery for the very first Big Heart auction is live until Sunday 8th March, with works from local, national and celebrity artists, illustrators and photographers available to view for the first time at www.bigheartauction.org.uk. The auction is the result of collaboration between Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice and Brighton Dome. 200 donated artworks will be available for purchase through an online auction, with all proceeds going towards supporting both Chestnut Tree House – which cares for over 300 children with life-shortening conditions in Sussex and South East Hampshire – and Brighton Dome, a registered arts charity committed to providing a groundbreaking programme of performance, art and debate that touches and enriches thousands of lives.  Amongst the artwork is an original painting by Raymond Briggs – illustrator of the muchloved The Snowman and patron of Chestnut Tree House. The piece, entitled “Snowman with a BIG heart”, is an original piece commissioned for the Big Heart auction and was painted using acrylics, something Raymond said he enjoyed © “Brighton Carousel” by Janine Kilroe using greatly. The auction includes a wide range of styles to appeal to all tastes and budgets, including photography, textile, mixed media, fine and contemporary art. Other artists to have donated works include Francesca McLeod, a Brightonbased artist whose powerful and emotional portraits are often exhibited in Brighton and London; Dan Baldwin, whose work is collected and exhibited nationally and internationally; and Maria Rivans, a British contemporary artist who creates collage s utilising an array of printed © “Lady Valentina” by Maria Rivans materials from 20th and 21st century pop culture. Alongside the online gallery, Brighton Dome will play host to a public Big Heart exhibition from Wednesday 4th to Friday 6th March. The exhibition is free to enter and will be an opportunity to see first-hand artworks from a wide range of artists. All of the works can be viewed at www.bigheartauction.org.uk, with new pieces being added daily. SUCCESS IN SUSSEX AS FOOD & DRINK HEROES CROWNED WINNERS Celebrations were in full flow in January at this year’s spectacular Sussex Food & Drink Awards ceremony, where eight of Sussex’s top food and drink producers were hailed as local heroes as they received their trophies at the Amex Stadium in Brighton. Now in their ninth year, the awards are all about supporting and boosting local farmers, food and drink producers and the outlets which use and sell superb local fare. Starting from small beginnings, the awards have grown to become prestigious and respected, attracting 10,000 votes from members of the public this year and huge support from business in the county, bringing together the whole local food and farming community. The awards scheme is run by Natural Partnerships Community Interest Company (CIC), co-directed by Hilary Knight of the Sussex Food & Drink Network and Paula Seager, managing director of Natural PR Ltd, with support from a loyal and high ranking group of sponsor judges along with independent chairman of judges and prominent Sussex farmer, William Goodwin. Sussex Eating Experience, sponsored by Natural PR The Curlew, Bodiam, East Sussex Sussex Food & Drink Awards 2014/15 winners are:   Sussex Drink Producer of the Year, sponsored by Sussex Food & Drink Network Wobblegate, Bolney, West Sussex Sussex Young Chef of the Year, sponsored by Sodexo Prestige Tim Sheed, The Pass, South Lodge Hotel, Lower Beeding, West Sussex Sussex Food Shop of the Year, sponsored by Veasey & Sons and Cheese Please Rushfields Farm Shop, Poynings, West Sussex Sussex Butcher of the Year, sponsored by Absolute Butchery A C Coughtrey, Pulborough, West Sussex Sussex Farmers Market of the Year, sponsored by Harveys Brewery Steyning Farmers Market, West Sussex 9 Sussex Farmer of the Year, sponsored by Spofforths Chartered Accountants Tim Hassell, Goodwood Home Farm, Goodwood, West Sussex Sussex Food Producer of the Year, sponsored by The Southern Co-operative Cocoa Loco, West Grinstead, West Sussex For more information on all the winners and the awards visit www.sussexfoodawards.biz