Chairman Appointed for Paintings in Hospitals East

13 September  2004

A spell in hospital has led to an unusual appointment for art lover Gordon Cummings.

Mr Cummings, who is Secretary of the Fry Public Art Gallery in Saffron Walden, has been appointed as Chairman of Paintings in Hospitals East, which is based at West Suffolk Hospital.

Paintings in Hospitals is a national charity that provides works of art on loan to hospitals, hospices and other healthcare facilities to enhance the healing environment for the benefit of patients, staff and visitors. West Suffolk hospital has some 60 works of art on display in its corridors for loan to healthcare organisations in the eastern region.

Mr Cummings decision to put himself forward for the role of Chairman happened after he had spent a few days in Addenbrooke¹s Hospital in Cambridge, where the corridors are filled with artwork.

Mr Cummings explained: "I have spent most of my life looking at pictures and my involvement with the Fry Art Gallery stems from my love of art, especially 20th Century English painting and print-making.

He believes that "the therapeutic quality of art is a bit like faith healing. Faith healing is said to work whether the patient believes in it or not, and there is a therapeutic value in paintings whether people are aware of this or not."

Mr Cummings, who is currently trying to retire from a varied career in banking, engineering IT and the dry cleaning industry, will now lead a committee charged with building up the collection of paintings so that there is a greater choice of artwork and to get more hospitals involved in the scheme.

Mr Cummings lives in Linton in Cambridgeshire, and is married with three children and six grandchildren.

For further information contact: Sue Warren on 01284 768935 or Mary Alice Stack, Director of Paintings in Hospitals, on 020 7935 0250.