East London artists needed to help raise funds for tube disaster memorial

The charity aiming to build a permanent memorial to the Bethnal Green tube disaster is calling on east London artists to help them reach their fundraising target.

The Stairway to Heaven Memorial Trust want to build their memorial outside Bethnal Green underground station to mark the worst civilian disaster in Britain during wartime when 173 people died in a crush in the station’s stairwell in 1943.

Now they are going to hold an art auction at the Rich Mix arts centre in Bethnal Green Road on May 16 and they are hoping artists in Tower Hamlets and Hackney will donate pieces.

Funds will go towards constructing the memorial’s foundations and plinth which could start this autumn with the Trust’s secretary Sandra Scotting estimating that a maximum of �150,000 needs to be raised towards the full design.

The Trust will welcome donations in any artistic medium and are putting together an online catalogue before the event to include information about the artist and where the work can be seen to give buyers a sneak preview.

Ms Scotting said: “As the survivors and many of the relatives of the victims are aged mostly in their seventies, eighties and nineties, time is not on their side so we want to start building the memorial this autumn.”

Entries need to be handed in or collected by May 7 or full descriptions received to appear in the catalogue

and artists should contact Ms Scotting to find about about collection and delivery points.

A viewing and silent auction will be held from 6pm before the live auction takes place from 7.30pm to 9pm.

For more details contact Ms Scotting on 077324 60 444 or e-mail info@stairwaytoheavenmemorial.org.