‘Secret art sale’ raises much-needed funds for Tyneside food bank
Written by Eleanor Tait on 4th October 2024
Fifteen hundred pounds was raised in a charity art auction last weekend, in aid of a Tyneside food bank.
For the second year in a row, indie arts business For The Love Of The North (FTLOTN) hosted their ‘Secret Art Sale’ at the Spanish City, Whitley Bay.
The charity sale saw North East artists donate more than 30 unsigned pieces to an exhibition unveiled on Friday night (September 27), which were sold across the following weekend, raising £1,500 for North Shields-based charity The Bay Foodbank.
Pieces ranged from landscape paintings of regional landmarks, such as St Mary’s Lighthouse, to miniature ceramics and textile designs produced by amateur and professional creatives alike.

Left to Right: Paul Hull, Steph McGovern, Lucy Hull and Maggie Walker present the ‘Secret Art Sale’ at the Spanish City, Whitley Bay (Photo Credit: Eleanor Tait).
Officially opening the exhibition was North Shields-born journalist and broadcaster Steph McGovern. Emphasising the value of The Bay Foodbank’s service to people in crisis, she told Spark: “It’s amazing what they do. I go in quite a bit and see how much they’re needed, but also how amazing the volunteers are, running and organising it all.
“We really should not need food banks – everyone should have enough income to be able to feed themselves, but unfortunately, that is not the case.”
She added: “I’ve met some of the people who use the food bank, and you can see it’s really hard for them to go there to begin with, because they feel really anxious and embarrassed, but the staff at the food bank make them feel good.”
Praising the region’s artistic talents on display, she commented: “Look at how creative the people are in this area – it’s just stunning work!
“Events like this are so inclusive for absolutely everyone, whatever level they are, and the level here is incredible – it’s so good!”
Speaking about the impact of fundraising events like the ‘Secret Art Sale’, Maggie Walker, chair of trustees for The Bay Foodbank, said: “Things like this make a huge difference to us, because they also help raise awareness of the issue, which is important.”
The Bay Foodbank provides emergency food parcels to people in crisis, and has delivered more than 56,000 since it began in 2012 – with that number rapidly increasing.
On Christmas Day 2023, the charity experienced a record number of 62 families using their service. Last Monday (September 23), Ms Walker said 58 families visited the food bank, which she described as “unheard of”.
She noted: “That gave us warning bells, because we’ve never had that before – that’s Christmas numbers. It’s a bit scary, but events like this are invaluable.”
Since 2022, the number of food donations received by The Bay Foodbank has decreased drastically by 85%, with the foodbank currently spending an average of £4,000 each week to supply food.
Ms Walker attributed this fall in donations to the cost-of-living crisis, saying: “People can’t afford to put that extra tin in the box when they go to the supermarket. They’re only just managing to look after themselves, and that’s the problem.
“The cost of living is meant to have gone down, but we have still noticed a difference in people putting food in the boxes.”

‘Two for Joy’- miniature magpie engraved ceramics created and donated by Charlotte Brecken of Lottivics Art (Photo Credit: Charlotte Brecken).
Lucy Hull, co-owner of FTLOTN, explained what prompted the ‘Secret Art Sale’. “I knew Maggie and had met up with her a few times. She’d just been telling us about the need for the Bay Foodbank and I was like, actually, what can we do to support?”
“We’ve always wanted to be a business for good. That’s been important to us since setting up For The Love Of The North, that we could make a difference in our community, and if we can do that through celebrating the North, the North East, the artists – why on earth would you not?”
The Bay Foodbank, Meadow Well Way, North Shields, accepts donations of food and toiletries directly to their centre and through supermarket and business collections.