Eastbourne textile artist’s food and drinks pieces raise charity cash

Claire Graves – who designed a tote bag featuring Old Town’s Albert Parade last year – has raised £1,400 for Eastbourne Foodbank by selling her pieces which include images of Yorkshire Tea, Marmite, Nutella and traditional foil covered tea cakes.

She said, “I decided back in March as I wasn’t teaching art textiles at Ratton to develop my own project based on my and my family’s ‘lock down loves’.

“I embroidered more than 80 foods and drinks I’d consumed to begin with and thought I’d try to sell them on my Instagram @clairegraves321 and give £5 from each sale to the Eastbourne Foodbank as it was really struggling in lockdown as were a lot of the families’ children I teach.

“It completely went crazy and people from all over the world including the USA and Australia were ordering my food pictures. Marmite was very popular as well as Yorkshire tea.

“I was lucky to sell more than 280 and made £1,400 for the foodbank which I was delighted with. I am still sewing every day taking commissions and will soon be designing a tea towel which will again raise money for local charities.”