THE family of a local artist have donated a painting to raise money for a Palestine charity.

Amy Scott had a life-long interest in art, exhibiting her work in Otley, Leeds and Pembrokeshire. She studied art and sculpture at Leeds and Doncaster colleges, which in later life, culminated in a fine arts (sculpture) degree when she graduated at the age of 80 with a 2:1.

Amy was a committed peace campaigner and member of Otley Peace Group and CND, being a regular supporter of the peace camp at Menwith Hill and of the peace camp at Greenham Common.

Amy left the north for Pembrokeshire in 2001 but she returned to Otley in 2018, living at Whiteley Croft, and then later at Burley Hall Care Home, where she died in 2023 at the age of 92.

Now her family want to remember their mum by honouring her deep compassion for the victims of war. They have donated one of their mother’s paintings to Wharfedale Friends of Palestine to be sold to raise money for Medical Aid for Palestinians.

Shannon Coles, of Wharfedale Friends of Palestine, said: "This is a UK charity, which even now is working on the ground in Gaza in impossible conditions, trying to eke out meagre stocks of medicines, medical equipment and food to save as many lives as possible.

"Amy clearly loved children, having six of her own. She would have been devastated by the death of so many children in Gaza, which is only about the quarter of the size of London. 15,000 children have been killed so far, which is more than five times the number of children that live in Otley. Amy’s family’s extraordinarily generous gift to Medical Aid for Palestinians means that their mum’s memory will live on in the opportunity for life, that food and medicines cans give.

"Amy painted this piece in response to, and as a symbol of, the human suffering inflicted by the war in Iraq in the 1990s. It is a very beautiful portrait of a mother looking down at her child; they are both clearly starving. The label on the back reads “The Family”, No 3, Remnant. It is painted on paper in wax crayons and oils and at some time it has clearly been part of an exhibition with a price tag of £400.

"As we know, children in Gaza are now beginning to die of malnutrition. This makes the sale of the painting even more poignant.

"We are hoping that someone in Otley may be interested in buying it, so that it stays in the town. If not, we will take it to the fine art auction in Ilkley."

Further details from Wharfedale Friends of Palestine: colesshannon6@gmail.com