Local initiative for youngsters supported for another year running with our funding

This week we have been proud to once again pledge funds to the Sheffield Young Artists initiative organised by the local division of Rotary International.

Each year the organisation holds the Sheffield Young Artists Competition which encourages schools across the City to submit artwork by children in a range of categories and then exhibits them in public venues throughout the City with the event culminating in an awards ceremony with awards given to winners of each age category by the Lord Mayor of Sheffield. The initiative has become a huge event across the city and has supported and inspired the artistic development of thousands of young people. Hundreds of children took part in the competition and thousands of people visited the consequent exhibitions raising the profile of Art within the City. Dutton International's Managing Director Matthew Davison said of the project:

"It's important that a company like ours takes a moment to stop and check that the communities surrounding our branches benefit from our being there. I don't want our brand to simply exist within a city but to enrich it. Art is a rich facet of education for all of us and allows a young person to express themselves and experiment with their creativity. Funding this project is a small way in which we can give back to our community."

Ken Marshall, of The Rotary Club and organiser of the SYA Project said:

"This year has been one of our most successful to date out of the 8 years that the event has been run for. The Rotary Club is a voluntary organisation and all of our funding comes from donations. It was fantastic to be able to say to the schools involved this year that we would definitely be returning next year for the 9th annual competition, we couldn't guarantee that without the support that has been provided by Dutton International"

This year, thanks to the funding provided by Dutton International, additional resources were available to purchase art supplies which were donated to Sheffield Children's Hospital, Sheffield Society for the Blind, Rowan School and as far afield as Zimbabwe. Extending the reach of the SYA Project a Volunteer and member of the Rotary Club was able to take some of these supplies out on an aid mission to a remote Zimbabwean village. Inhabititants of the village were battling with tough conditions, the HIV Virus and lacking provisions in health and education. Thanks to the initiative the children of the village were able to take a moment to express themselves through artwork and recieved a certificate for their efforts. It is hoped that this educational support will be continued and extended throughout 2013 and the SYA initiative can provide a feature in the on-going support of the village by Rotary International.