The results are in

St. Lukes auction

Urban Strawberry Lunch and St Luke’s have always meant a lot to the Fab Collective. We have exhibited our photos in there three times now – once in 2009 and twice in 2010. Their support has been invaluable to our development and, we hope, our success over our short lifetime.

Similarly, we have also come to appreciate the great work that USL does. Not only are they custodians of St Luke’s – keeping its doors open for people to come and look around and to be reminded of why its there and what it means to the city of Liverpool, but USL are champions of the local community. They support where they can with arts projects, both visual, music and performance. In so doing they reach out to a number of people who fall under the radar of mainstream life. The church acts as a magnet to a number of homeless people and rather than seeing that as an annoyance, USL embraces it – seeing an opportunity to do good where many would turn the other way.

Our connection with USL has taught us a lot about what they do and why they do it. Members of the Fab Collective have all benefited enormously from being involved with projects run by USL. They have taught us some valuable lessons.

Friday night last week was our chance to give something back in a tangible way. As many of you know, USL was the beneficiary of an Arts Council grant amounting to about £30,000 per annum. The government’s arts budget cuts announced earlier this year left us reeling when we learned that that £30,000 had been culled completely.

With the help of Partridge & Bray auctioneers the auction of 22 Fab Collective photos (and one painting from Bernie Howden) raised nearly £1,300 on the night. That was an amazing result and far exceeded even the most optimistic of our expectations. When one adds in door takings and bar sales, the total for the night is well over £2,000.

We also recognise and say big respect to the bands who played – John Head, Fabienne Rothschilde, Mervyn Gersh and Hope Street Harmonies. Thanks also to VJ Tristan Brady-Jacobs.

But all this would have been nothing without all the people who came on the night and, especially those who bid for and bought one of the lots. To you – we say a massive thank you.