'Rubbish' Worthing artist to hold drawathon to fundraise for homeless charities

Renowned Worthing artist Hercule Van Wolfwinkle, known for his unique – or to use his own words 'rubbish' – pet portraits is taking on a drawathon on Friday [May 6] to raise money towards two charities – Turning Tides and StreetVet.
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Hercule, aka Phil Heckels of Worthing, will be drawing non-stop until he reaches 100 portraits.

Hercule began drawing during the first lockdown in 2020 as an attempt to get his reluctant six-year-old away from computer games.

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After posting his first portrait on Facebook, it turned into a virtual storm gaining coverage on the BBC, CNN, and even a personal letter of recognition from Boris Johnson who awarded him ‘The Daily Points of Light’ honour.

Worthing artist Hercule Van Wolfwinkle, known for his unique – or to use his own words 'rubbish' – pet portraits is taking on a drawathon on Friday [May 6] to raise money for Turning Tides and StreetVetWorthing artist Hercule Van Wolfwinkle, known for his unique – or to use his own words 'rubbish' – pet portraits is taking on a drawathon on Friday [May 6] to raise money for Turning Tides and StreetVet
Worthing artist Hercule Van Wolfwinkle, known for his unique – or to use his own words 'rubbish' – pet portraits is taking on a drawathon on Friday [May 6] to raise money for Turning Tides and StreetVet

He publishes his portraits on his social media channels - @portraitsbyhercule - and only requests in return a donation to charity.

Having previously completed a 24-hour drawathon in which he managed to draw 85 portraits without rest or sleep, Hercule hopes to finish the 100th picture sometime on Saturday night after starting the herculean challenge at 8pm on Friday evening.

Although the event has yet to begin, a whopping £6,647 has already been raised. Over 400 pet photos have been submitted to be one of the 100 portraits by the artist’s fans from across the globe; each entry was accompanied by a donation to either Turning Tides or StreetVet. The lucky 100 will be chosen at random.

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Launching via Facebook Live at 8pm on Friday, Hercule will be checking in throughout the drawathon so supporters can witness his portraits come to life, cheer him on as the sleep deprivation hits and continue to donate to the charities.

Having previously completed a 24-hour drawathon in which he managed to draw 85 portraits without rest or sleep, Hercule hopes to finish the 100th picture sometime on Saturday night after starting the herculean challenge at 8pm on Friday eveningHaving previously completed a 24-hour drawathon in which he managed to draw 85 portraits without rest or sleep, Hercule hopes to finish the 100th picture sometime on Saturday night after starting the herculean challenge at 8pm on Friday evening
Having previously completed a 24-hour drawathon in which he managed to draw 85 portraits without rest or sleep, Hercule hopes to finish the 100th picture sometime on Saturday night after starting the herculean challenge at 8pm on Friday evening

Having rubbed shoulders with the stars, appearing on TV shows such as The Russell Howard Hour and Paul O’Grady, Hercule has hinted at some welcome appearances from some special guests.

The Facebook Lives will include chats with representatives from the two charities, including a tour of a Turning Tides hub service, offering an insight into the life-saving support provided to people experiencing homelessness and sleeping rough. Followers will also meet some of StreetVet’s outreach team as they return from a shift.

Ruth Poyner, head of fundraising and communications at Turning Tides, said: "We continue to be blown away by Hercule’s fundraising efforts, which have so far raised an unbelievable £120,000 towards Turning Tides.

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"His latest fundraising venture could not have come at a more crucial time, as we are desperately in need of vital funds to protect the future of our Community Hubs – which provide the fundamental first step of people’s journey out of homelessness.

"Hercule’s endless creativity and one-of-a-kind witticisms have ensured his followers continue to be uniquely amused on a daily basis.

"Our gratitude is immeasurable, and we will be cheering him on from the side lines as he takes on this mammoth challenge."

Turning Tides is the largest provider of homeless support services across West Sussex. For 30 years, they have supported thousands of people experiencing homelessness to transform their lives – to find their pathway out of homelessness.

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StreetVet is a charity delivering free essential veterinary care and services to the pets of people experiencing homelessness in multiple locations around the UK.

To find out more or donate to Turning Tides visit justgiving.com/fundraising/portraitsbyhercule or to donate to StreetVet visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/hercule-streetvet.