Tamara Ecclestone and her husband Jay Rutland have setup an initiative called Art For Heroes to raise money for NHS workers amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Formula One heiress Tamara, 35, and businessman Jay, 39, gave £25,000 towards the cause, as well as creating an online gallery, which sees artists donate their works with 100 per cent of the profits going to frontline NHS staff.
The couple have already recruited over 30 artists including David Yarrow, Mr. Brainwash and musician Boy George to take part and have devised an e-certificate to be sent to those who donate as a way of expressing their gratitude.
Good cause: Tamara Ecclestone and her husband Jay Rutland have setup an initiative called Art For Heroes to raise money for NHS workers amid the coronavirus outbreak
Speaking about their reasons for setting up the charity that aims to raise £1 million, Jay said: ‘I have never been more grateful for the job our NHS workers are doing.
‘Now more than ever we really appreciate the job they’re doing for very little pay and extremely long hours.
‘They are putting their lives and health at risk everyday just by going to work. This is our way of giving back.’
Jay decided to lend his hand after being contacted by close friend and ex-England and Chelsea player Joe Cole, 38, who founded Heroes along with NHS workers.
Sticking together: The couple, who are parents to daughter Sophia, gave £25,000 towards the cause, as well as creating the online gallery that has seen over 30 artists donate their works
Initially, Joe was keen for Tamara and Jay to raise awareness for the charity on social media but the pair were inspired to create their own strand of the initiative.
Jay, who’s the creative director of Maddox gallery in London’s Mayfair, said: ‘The charity was only formed four weeks ago.
‘Rather than us just promoting and donating, which I’m happy to do and I have done, I felt we could do something more, that’s where Art For Heroes came from.
‘We contacted some artists to see if they would be willing and able to donate a piece of art and when the artwork is sold the proceeds will go to the charity.
‘The artists have donated the works in full and if they sell then all the proceeds go to the charity.
‘Ordinary people who do extraordinary things’: The Connor Brothers have submitted a piece to the online gallery, which is up for sale with the proceeds going towards NHS workers
Generous: American photographer Tyler Shields donated an image of a couple staying dry together underneath an umbrella as droplets of rain fell either side of them
‘There’s also the option on the website to just donate now, if you’re not necessarily interested in buying art.
‘All of the artwork is priced 20 per cent lower than what it would normally sell for in a gallery, so that’s an added incentive.’
Tamara, who’s a mum to the couple’s six-year-old daughter Sophia, added: ‘Anyone that donates will be sent an e-certificate, which incorporates the hero image from the campaign, and it will be personalised and you will be encouraged to share that on your social media.
‘That will hopefully then encourage more people to go to the Help For Heroes website and donate more. The aim is to raise a million plus and I think that’s achievable.’
Symbolic: London-based artist Haris Nukem donated a compelling piece to the initiative of an NHS nurse cradling a gold baby with one of her arms coated in armour
‘I love you’: Street artist Mr. Brainwash has donated a piece which shows the Superman shield alongside the NHS logo, with the tagline: ‘Never give up’
This week Prime Minister Boris Johnson, 55, was taken to intensive care at St Thomas Hospital after suffering with ongoing symptoms of the coronavirus.
And Tamara, who’s the daughter of former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, 89, hopes the PM makes a full recovery and the country can pull together to send their love and best wishes to the expectant father.
She said: ‘It’s been a really hard time for him.
‘He wasn’t able to take the time he needed to rest and to recover like his body needed to.
‘I really hope he’s going to be OK because obviously the country needs him.
‘I hope he pulls through and that it was more a precaution than anything else.
‘But it goes to show that no one is immune from the virus, it doesn’t discriminate.
‘Everyone needs to have positive thoughts and I believe in that, collective thoughts and vibes for him to get better.’
For those wishing to donate to Art For Heroes, you can enter the virtual exhibition and buy the donated pieces of art, as well as clicking Donate Now to make a direct contribution to the Heroes charity: https://artforheroes.co.uk/
‘I really hope he’s going to be OK’: Tamara hopes that Boris Johnson recovers from the virus and says him being hospitalised is a reminder that the disease does not discriminate