North End artist Ruby Baldry recreates 6 iconic Portsmouth landmarks to raise funds for Portsmouth Foodbank

Famous spots including the Spinnaker Tower, Southsea Castle and Fratton Park have been recreated by Ruby Baldry, who runs a small business called Meraki Designs Studio.

This limited edition range of Portsmouth illustrations will showcase some of Ruby’s favourite spots in the city, while 100 per cent of the proceeds will be raising money for Portsmouth Foodbank.

Ruby, who is also a carer in the community, said: ‘I started to think at the end of last year about looking forward to 2021 and what I wanted to bring out.

‘I was reflecting on 2020 and Covid. Everyone has felt the weight of what that year was.

‘I’ve seen so many wonderful stories of hope, of helping, of community projects. I think it was a year of seeing how we rallied together and how we got through it.’

Ruby, 26, spent some time volunteering for the organisation during the pandemic by helping to create food parcels and hand them out to people in need.

With her mum also working closely with the food bank at King’s Church, Ruby gained a valuable insight into what the service provides for the community.

She added: ‘I saw what a beacon of hope and light the food bank is. What they do is amazing and I just want to give something back and give as much thanks as I can.

‘It really did open my eyes because if you’re not in that world, you can be quite ignorant in a really innocent way.’

SEE ALSO: 20 photos of Royal Navy's former flagship HMS Illustrious through the years

Six designs including Fratton Park’s Frogmore Road entrance, HMS Warrior, Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Portsmouth Guildhall, The Spinnaker Tower and Southsea Castle are now available on Etsy.

Ruby said: ‘As a community we have a really good community spirit. Even though you don’t know everybody, there’s a real sense of being patriotic and loyal to the city.

‘I wanted to draw those places that you look at and feel nostalgia.’

One A4 print is £25, with 100 per cent of the profits going to Portsmouth Foodbank, and they are limited edition so might sell out quickly.

Visit etsy.com/uk/shop/mmerakidesignsstudio to purchase a print or view more of Ruby’s work on Facebook and Instagram.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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