PAINTERS and sculptors put their talents at the service of hundreds of terminally-ill patients in Swindon by supporting the Adver’s 160 Appeal.

More than 30 members of the Swindon Artists’ Forum exhibited their latest works at the De Vere Hotel in West Swindon during the bank holiday weekend to raise funds for the initiative launched by the newspaper to collect £160,000 for Prospect Hospice.

Without fail since its creation in 1996, the group has donated £1,000 from the sale of its artists’ pieces to the Wroughton charity, which cares for around 2,000 patients, as well as their families and carers.

But this year, the forum decided to go a step further by holding a two-day display on Sunday and yesterday in aid of Prospect Hospice and to raise awareness of its staff’s work in Swindon and North Wiltshire.

“Prospect is a charity we have supported for many years and that’s why we are doing this for the appeal,” said Carolyn Clack, 63, forum membership secretary and exhibition organiser.

“Every year we try to raise £1,000 for Prospect and this time we wanted to make people aware of the charity and this is the way we did it. We believe in giving something back.”

For Louis Cutting, a painter and sculptor from Stratton whose wife Kathrin died at the hospice 21 years ago, supporting Prospect has always been crucial.

“I think it’s important to have that connection between the forum and the hospice,” said the 65-year-old. “Kathrin died at the hospice and they made her happy in her last hours. There is nowhere else like it. I think it’s important to give back to them.”