Easter art exhibition at Pickering Memorial Hall

A dozen artists will be showing their work from Good Friday until Easter Monday.

The Memorial Hall hosts three exhibitions per year and is home to the famous Rex Whistler mural.

Built as a Corn Mill in 1867, it was gifted to the people of Pickering in 1922 by the Kitching family to commemorate the local men who lost their lives in the First World War and still plays an intrinsic part in the Pickering community and arts scene.

Mal Danks, Secretary to the Trustees, Pickering War Memorial Charitable Trust, said: "The hall has served the people of Pickering well, whilst continuing to remain an up to date, well maintained, fully compliant community resource used by all age groups and catering for a wide variety of educational and leisure activities.

"In common with many, if not all, other village and community halls, the pandemic, the cost of living crisis and the enormous rise in the price of energy and other utilities has put a huge drain on finances.

"Some halls have had to suspend activities and others have had to close their doors completely. Fortunately Pickering Memorial Hall is not one of those. Because of very careful financial management over the past two decades, we are in a position to ride the current storm.

"However we know that is absolutely vital to raise as much cash as we can if we are to survive in the long term. We are therefore putting together a varied programme of exciting fund-raising events this spring and summer, the first of which is an Easter Art Exhibition.

Mal added: "In the past this event has been organised by Amanda Pickles, a well-known and much respected extremely talented local artist. When we heard that Amanda was not intending to continue with this venture this year, we asked her if she would mind if we took it over. Not only did she give us permission but she also gave us a great deal of advice and help, for which we are very grateful. She has also agreed to exhibit some of her latest works at our exhibition."

Some of the other artists, include Sally Tozer, Shirley Rowling, Angie McCall and Brian Tozer and there will be opportunities for members of the public to chat about their works with the artists, many of whom will be in attendance.

The event will take place at the Memorial Hall from Good Friday to Easter Monday April 7 - 10, inclusive from 11am to 5pm. Home made cakes and beverages will be on sale. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.