Parade painting supports Sir Bobby’s Foundation

A new painting capturing Newcastle United’s League Cup triumph last season has been donated to support the work of The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

Local artist Kevin Day painted ‘The Parade’ from the end of Percy Street during the citywide celebration of Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup win in March.

The Parade is one of 30 original oil paintings depicting Newcastle and its surrounds, forming Kevin’s new exhibition, ‘A City Seen,’ at The Biscuit Factory, in Ouseburn.

The painting, shown below, is being raffled to allow everyone who enters the chance to win it and the tickets, which cost £10 and are available online from The Biscuit Factory, will raise funds for The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, which was launched by the former Newcastle manager in 2008 and is part of Newcastle Hospitals Charity.

The Parade, by Kevin Day

Newcastle Hospitals and The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation are currently working on proposals to build a world-leading research and treatment facility next to the Northern Centre for Cancer Care at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

The proposed Sir Bobby Robson Institute would pioneer more ground-breaking innovation in cancer treatment and significantly increase the number of clinical trials available for patients across the North East, North Cumbria and North Yorkshire.

Construction is being funded by The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, with £20 million already raised by supporters and a fundraising campaign set to be launched to raise the final £10 million needed for the project.

Kevin, a professional artist from South Shields, said: “I knew I wanted to paint that moment when the whole city came together to celebrate the cup win.

“It was challenging to paint because it was quite windy that day and I had to secure my board to the railings. 

“I’d done some prep a couple of days before but then the weather and the light was so different on the day of the parade that I had to start again from scratch.

“I did the background in the morning and then added the people and the bus. 

“It was quite an experience watching the crowds grow as the day went on. Then it started to get really crazy.

“The atmosphere was so special I had goosebumps. 

“It was just a sea of black and white and the bus in the middle of it all as a black silhouette.

“Even before I put paint on the board, I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep or sell the painting. The moment was just too big.

“It seemed absolutely right to me to donate it to help The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. 

“It was a moment beyond football; it was a day when people came together to celebrate success and to feel a pride in their city.

“And, like almost everyone, my family’s been affected by cancer, so I know how important the work funded by Sir Bobby’s Foundation is.”

On behalf of The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, Mark Robson, Sir Bobby’s son, said: “We’re very grateful to Kevin and The Biscuit Factory for their thoughtful and generous support.

“Kevin’s clearly a very talented artist and to be able to capture such a special scene and, to do it with all the crowds and excitement of the day, is remarkable.

“The Parade is a special painting and whoever is lucky enough to win it will have a unique memento of an unforgettable occasion for supporters of Newcastle United.”

The Parade is available to view as part of the A City Seen collection until Sunday, November 9 at The Biscuit Factory.

Tickets to enter the draw to win The Parade can be bought here.

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