A group of school friends from Frome, also known as the ‘Boogie Kids’, have set up a not-for-profit organisation selling handmade cards to raise money for charity.
Photo courtesy of Eaton & Woods
In doing so they attracted the attention of the Saatchi Gallery in London, and were invited to exhibit their work at the Gallery over the Easter holidays.
Finn Magee (aged 11), a pupil at King Edward’s School, Bath, and his friends Morgan Sangster (aged 11), Susannah Rycroft (aged 12) and Paloma Middleton (aged 8) all live on the same street in Frome and play together after school.
Last summer the group of friends were looking for something to do and decided to get together at Finn’s house to do some painting.
After finishing their paintings the group wondered if they could raise money for charity by turning their art into handmade cards and selling them locally. So from being bored the Boogie Kids ‘painting with a purpose’ was borne.
Setting up their own Facebook page and website (boogiekids.com) the friends now sell their cards online, some of which have been sent as far afield as Dublin, America and Kenya, helping to raise money for the Honeypot Children’s Charity, Save the Children, Child Poverty Action UK and to deliver water to a rural village in Kenya.
When the water was received in Kenya Boogie Kids were thrilled to receive a message from the recipient, Peter Litus, who said: “Hi Boogie Kids, I am a Samburu Warrior from Africa in a country called Kenya.
“Here in Samburu water is a scarcely thing to deal with! Thanks a lot for your very own contribution towards Samburu village children.”
Finn said: “We have all produced different styles of art and handmade cards which we then sell on our street and also through Boogie Kids’ Facebook page and website.
“As a group we decided to send all the money we raised to other children around the UK and the world who need help.
“We’ve bought two goats for Save the Children and a water filter for Syrian school children.”
“After we learnt to etch we sold 30 Christmas cards and raised money for the Children Poverty Action Group UK, and earlier this year bought water for Samburu children.”
Finn’s mother, Kath Roberts, said: “It’s a fascinating dynamic watching the children work together.
“They do all the artwork and sales, and upload everything to the website and Facebook.
“The children are really enjoying it and I can see their art is really improving at the same time. It’s nice to see them thinking of other children.”
Commenting on Boogie Kids, Child Poverty Action Group UK said: “Thanks Boogie Kids for thinking of other children and using your creativity to help make a difference.”
Boogie Kids’ relationship with the Saatchi Gallery arose when Finn visited the Gallery with his mother.
He got talking to one of the curators who picked up on what Boogie Kids were trying to do and consequently asked them if they’d like to exhibit some of their work at the Gallery.
In doing so the Gallery invited the Boogie Kids to help install their work prior to the exhibition opening.
