John Cobbold

ARTISTS from across the region are preparing for a fundraising exhibition in aid of a charity project aimed at drug and alcohol addicts.

Talitha Koum is a therapeutic community being built on a farm just north of Ipswich in memory of the women whose lives were lost between October 30 and December 10, 2006.

The project was given £20,000 by the Some-body’s Daughter fund – set up by the Star and other partners in the wake of the deaths of Tania Nicol, Gemma Adams, Paula Clennell, Anneli Alderton and Annette Nicholls, whose lives were cut short by serial killer Steve Wright in 2006.

Suffolk artist Sandra Pond is supporting the charity by featuring up to 200 pictures by artists at Ipswich Town Hall in October. She said: “I am thrilled to be involved with this innovative project to help women caught in addictive behaviour and to bring my talents of painting and teaching to help play a part in making this project a reality.”

The paintings will be on sale for £50 to £1,250, with 20 per cent of the sale going to the charity.

John Cobbold, chief executive of Talitha Koum, said: “Talitha Koum is striving to create hope from hopelessness.

“We need to come alongside these vulnerable women with a heart of compassion to help them beat their addictive behaviour through a structured recovery plan. The art exhibition will be invaluable in helping raise funds.”

The exhibition will be open from 10am to 5pm at Ipswich Town Hall on October 19 and 20.