Loz dials cash for children’s helpline

AFTER wowing tourists in Edinburgh with her sculpture of a hornbill as part of an exhibition of painted animals last summer, a Highland artist is hoping her phone box creation will deliver lots of cash for a children’s charity.

Inverness-born Loz Atkinson (27), whose father and grandparents come from Thurso, is among a number of artists taking part in BT ArtBox, a campaign which aims to raise money for ChildLine which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

The Leicester-based artist has created one of 80 replica old-fashioned BT boxes that have gone on display around London this week and will be auctioned off for the charity next month.

Currently on show at the Harvey Nichols store in Knightsbridge, Loz’s art box aims to symbolise the work done by ChildLine in helping kids get out of a dark place.

She hopes it will inspire children to get help as well as raise money for a good cause.

"The Thing with Feathers [the art box] celebrates the hope that ChildLine gives to so many children across the UK, even me at one time," she told the CaithnessCourier.

"When I was at school I was a victim of bullying and I contacted them and they helped me get through a dark period of my life and they taught me that it was the bullies who had the problem and not me.

"The piece, although seeming dark, has a burst of light representing hope for the future, expressing things do and will get better."

The boxes will be on display in high-profile locations around London until July 18 before being auctioned off at the National Portrait Gallery in the hope of raising £1 million for ChildLine.

Last year the hornbill created by Loz raised £2050 for welfare charity Elephant Family which ran the outdoor exhibition, Jungle City, in Edinburgh.

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