12-year-old's art project raises thousands for hospital charity

A 12-year-old from Dedham in Essex has enlisted artists and celebrities to join his lockdown art project to raise thousands of pounds for Ipswich and Colchester hospitals.

Noah - known on Instagram as @Background_Bob - and his Dad Nathan started painting colourful images during the first lockdown. They put them online asking people around the world to join in by adding an image on top of their painted backgrounds. 

240 people, including well-known artists like Ange Bell, Heath Kane and comedian Phill Jupitus, sent in their contributions. 

Nathan says they've been overwhelmed by the response and they can't believe how it's taken off.

The artwork has now been turned into a book call Background Bob and His Amazing Friends, and has already raised £18,000 pounds for the Ipswich and Colchester hospitals charity. 

It's a place close to the family's heart as they've helped Noah with care for his hydocephalus, cerebral palsy and epilepsy. 

"The funds are mainly going to the children's ward at Colchester Hospital for all the aftercare Noah currently receives from them", says Nathan. "But it was also really important for us to give something back to help families like ours. The amount of money we're going to raise is going to make a huge difference to families like ours."

The artwork will be auctioned on ebay on 28th February and with more and more people wanting to get involved, this may not be the last we hear from Background Bob.You can find out more on Noah's Instagram page.