Amazing fundraising news!

What a great night was had on Sunday 6th November! Thank you so much to everyone who came, donated, drank, danced, sang, bid, bought art, got a Raffy t-shirt, had fun!
We raised over £3,000 in the end and all the art was bought!
43 lots were bid for and won on the night, it was very, very exciting.

An over large thank you to Bernie at The Rhythm Factory for hosting the event and Jimmy for organising all the venue details.

Thank you to all the artists/makers who donated work... DJ Simpson, Rufus Dayglo, Jules Smith, Linda Hills, Ludovik Boden, Natasha Gomperts,  Nina Miranda, Dominic Wright, Jennie Pedley, Sam Collins, Vic Palastanga, Brooke McHenry Gottdenker, Hannah Montag, Omri Stephenson, Adrian Senior, Mushtaq Hussain, Matt Webber, Agata Lulkowska, Richard Perryman, Louise Heller and last but not least Damien Hirst!

And to all the bands, DJ's and singers... Archean Soundtrack, The Merry Few, The Three Belles, Paul Ramjac, Ezra, Jess, Isla, Dash, Rory, Nat, Yaz... you made it a really unique evening.
Also a shout out to Binnsy our inestimable compere for the night and Yaz for heading up the t-shirt sales!

Last but not least a huge loving thank you to all of Raffy's Son-Rise team who really pulled out all of the stops to make the night a success.... Phoebe, Yaz, Rory, Nat, Adam, Rikke, Jake, Binns and Annie xxxxxxx

Hoping for more photos from the night... but here are three including the art gang gearing up for some auctioneering to a bit of Blur (wearing the t-shirts Raffy designed!), Raffy's Dad hanging some art work and Nat singing!
Thanks to Bri, Chop & Hannah for helping set up the art.

To anyone who has tried to donate (and failed) using the Donate button.
our friends at pay-pal have told us "We routinely encounter problems when donors attempt to use Pay-pal using Chrome or Safari browsers, please encourage donors to use Firefox or Internet Explorer"
You couldn't make it up!

Rhythm Factory Art Auction & music extravaganza on 6th Nov!

Artists/makers confirmed so far for Raffy's benefit evening... more pictures to be added.

If you are unable to attend the auction in person but would like to blind bid please contact r_breckell@hotmail.com

You can email the name of the piece you are interested in with your maximum bid.

Damien Hirst                   Lot 35
Ping Pong Ball 2000 limited ed. addressed to Jake Chapman

Ludovik Boden               Lot 15
Blastocyst 2005  Plaster artist's proof 16 x 16 x 16 cms 

Ludovik Boden              Lot 16
Im/Perfected Object III 2004  Plaster artist's proof 15 x 15 x 15 cms

Dominic Wright                            Lot 26
The Father becomes the Shadow 2007 framed acrylic on board 18 x 23 cms (with frame 39 x 44 cms)

DJ Simpson                     Lot 17
Mr B Red limited edition formica on birch plywood (number 20 out of edition of 25) 59 x 59 cms

Rufus Dayglo                Lot 31
Tank Girl Wanted! 2011 signed artists proof 31 x 43 cms

Rufus Dayglo              Lot 31
Tank Girl 2011 original ink & pencil on paper signed 14.5 x 21 cms

Rufus Dayglo              Lot 31
Tank Girl Summer Special signed 17 x 26 cms

Matthew Webber         Lot 18
Untitled (Small Red One Four) 1999 oil on canvas 36 x 36 cms

Ruth Breckell       Lot 11
Cloud 2002 oil on canvas 50 x 40 cms

Ruth Breckell       Lot 12
Ghost 2002 oil on canvas 50 x 40 cms

Ruth Breckell          Lot 37
Sunspots oil on canvas 2000 120 x 60 cms

Jules Smith                Lot 19
Untitled 2011 framed collage watercolour and ink on paper 12 x 12 cms (with frame 25 x 25 cms)

Samuel Collins      Lot 21
Overhead acrylic on canvas 24 x 20 cms

Samuel Collins      Lot 22
Hair 2010 acrylic on canvas 20 x 16 ins

Linda Hills                           Lot 1
Study I 2010 pin hole camera photograph 19.5 x 28.5cms

Linda Hills                          Lot 2
Study II 2010 hand treated photograph 19.5 x 28.5 cms

Linda Hills                           Lot 3
Study III 2010 pin hole camera photograph 19.5 x 28.5 cms

Linda Hills           Lot 4
Study IV 2010 pin hole camera photograph 19.5 x 28.5 cms

Linda Hills           Lot 5
Study V 2010 hand treated photograph 19.5 x 28.5 cms

Hannah Montag    Lot 20
Stuffed polecat (globe not included!) 2011 genuine roadkill!

Mushtaq Hussain    Lot 6
Intangible 1999 oil on board 92 x 48 cms

Nina Miranda         Lot 7
2010 Nail through Finger Mixed media on 12" vinyl

Nina Miranda        Lot 8
You You 2010 Mixed media on 12" record sleeve

Nina Miranda                    Lot 9
Who is the 21st Century Woman? 2011 Mixed media on paper 42 x 59 cms

Nina Miranda                     Lot 10
Is it Something...? 2011 Mixed media on paper 42 x 59 cms

Natasha Gomperts   Lot 28
Cloud paddlers Monoprint 2011 ink on paper 28.5 x 38 cms (with mount 50 x 40 cms)

Natasha Gomperts               Lot 29
Beach Donkey 2011 Monoprint ink on paper 28.5 x 38 cms (with mount 50 x 40 cms)

Natasha Gomperts             Lot 30
Path 2011 Monoprint ink on paper 28.5 x 38 cms (with mount 50 x 40 cms)

Brooke McHenry Gottdenker  Lot 23
'In the Round' 2011 one-off necklace resin and silver 4.5 cms diameter

Brooke McHenry Gottdenker  Lot 24
'Angled' 2011 one-off necklace resin and silver 2.5 x 4 cms

Ruth Breckell           Lot 13
Family Unit I 2010 felted yarn and recycled knitting 50 x 31 cms







Ruth Breckell            Lot 14
Family Unit II 2010 felted yarn and recycled knitting 47 x 38 cms

Victoria Palastanga      Lot 25
The Forest 2011 acrylic on canvas 30 x 40 cms

Agata Lulkowska       Lot 36
Sebastian con la cabrita 2011 digital photograph

Louise Heller              Lot 27
Hidden 2010 woodcut print on paper 59 x 46 cms (with paper margin 76 x 63 cms)






Richard Perryman       Lot 34

Raffy Music & Art Fundraising Extravaganza Nov 6th!

Calling all Raffy admirers in the London & Essex area! We are having a wonderful evening of music, art and fun to raise money towards Raffy's autism Son-Rise intensive week in December this year.

There is an amazing line up of musical talent, live bands, acoustic sets, DJ's and art auction.
The evening starts early at 4pm and finishes at midnight.
I hope you can tell your friends and family, it's only £5 with an advance ticket! Donations are welcome through this site (see the Donate button) and on the night itself.
Contact r_breckell@hotmail.com for tickets

There is the chance to nab some amazing art for a bargain price... I will be posting up the participating artists in the next 2 weeks.
Thank you!

Glugging & slurping... & drawing

Raffy was pretending to be a pussycat and asked for a bowl of water 'soup'.

He bent down and took a SHLURP... Cue FANFARE!

 The beginning of his journey to drinking after a 3 year drought! 3 years and 2 days!

He is now picking up a water bottle on his own and independently drinking... water! The first time water has ever passed his lips.

The effect on mum and dad has been BIG!

A release from the daily, hourly offer of spoon-fed thickened smoothie... the ritual, the particular colour, consistency, the almost constant rejecting... arhhhhh.

Breathe... relax, let go.

We are so grateful for this time!
Thank you Son-Rise for giving us trust and strength, thank you to all our amazing volunteers for the 'modelling', fun and most importantly the belief.

And he is drawing the most beautiful and imaginative creatures (more pictures to come... these creatures are now having adventures!).
Please celebrate with us and enjoy the pictures.
(Meanwhile mum is having a burst of eczema... another release after 3 years of emotional tension. Embrace...) x

Outreach excitement!

We had the most amazing outreach with Gerd Winkler a Son-Rise teacher last week.
All Raffy's volunteers made the extra effort to come along for some or all of the 2 day outreach.
Most of us did mini sessions in the room with Raffy and then had feedback and in my case feedback about my feedback!
It was hugely empowering and unifying for us all.
The other great news is that Raffy has progressed even further than we were daring to believe. He is much more interactive and for longer periods of time.
We are now building more frequently when Raffy gives us green-lights (connections with his eyes, speech and body). It is making for much more energised and silly playroom sessions!
Raffy's sister was entertained by Inga, Jack, Becky and 4 year old Izzy for periods of the outreach... both kids had a marvellous experience!
Here are some photos of Raffy from before the outreach, a group meeting and prep for a session....

More words, a wedding & lots of hiding!

Raffy had a great weekend. He met lots of new people and went to a busy wedding reception. He is much more relaxed even in crowds of strangers. He is also talking more and using words like 'if,' 'because' and 'supposed to'... he's even started saying 'I mean...'!

Of course he loves pretending to disappear by hiding... even under his wedding outfit (thanks for the shirt Tim/Adam!).

This is Raffy on Saturday afternoon. What a handsome chap!