Hello, friends!

You may know that I am involved in setting up Leytonstone's best annual fun event - the Leytonstone Arts Trail. I'm their publicity officer.

The trail is a voluntary organisation. All the art trail organisers give up their own time. In July we are showing the work of more than 50 artists (new and established) in windows, cafes, streets, shops and unexpected places around the town from 1 to 17 July. We have raised enough money to print some beautiful maps as in previous years but, because of the economy, funding is very tight this year.

Sadly, the regeneration company (O-Regen) that provided us with the grant for this project has gone into receivership without paying us the promised funding - and the people that ran off with our money are being investigated by anti-fraud police.

However we have still undertaken the projects (based on the promise of funding) - wonderful things such as work in schools to get children involved in creating work for a professionally curated show. We are running an intensive programme in a particularly deprived school for the young people to make an animated movie with their own sound track to be screened during the trail.

So that we can finish the project we have resorted to asking our friends and families to help us through this direct appeal.

If you can spare a couple of pounds that will be fantastic (you can send it through the easy to use rockethub website on the link below).
http://www.rockethub.com/projects/1963-the-leytonstone-arts-trail

The website comes up in dollars but you can give in £ and it makes the conversion.

Anything would be welcome but if you give $20 (about £12.50) or more then you will get a goody as a reward...

There are art prizes and giveaways in return for your donations such as printed postcard packs - original artworks and limited edition prints supplied by some of the lovely artists in the trail.

You could help us even more by posting this appeal on to a few more friends or family of your own if you know of anyone who would not be offended / might like to help this truly grass roots creative project.

For more about the works in the Leytonstone art trail 2011 see www.leytonstoneartstrail.org
For more about Let's Fill Leytonstone With Art... see www.letsfill.co.uk

I know money is tight for most people this year but please DO have a look at our Rockethub site, and give anything you can, it all counts. Thank you so much in advance!
http://www.rockethub.com/projects/1963-the-leytonstone-arts-trail...

[Edit to add: there's also now a feature on Rockethub's website, an interview with one of our committee, explaining more about why the Arts Trail is so cool!]