The Great Deptford Art Auction – this Friday!

Neville Johnny of Deptford's much beloved Johnny's DIY & Building Supplies has organised an "upmarket" Art Auction to raise some cash for MIND. Nev's been raising money for the Mental Health charity ever since his brother Roderick died last year.

It's happening this Friday, 22nd March in the new gallery space at 82 Tanners Hill. Arrive at 6.30pm to have a look at the work. The auction begins at 8pm and the auctioneer is from none other than Christies!

Lots of great local artists are taking part – have a preview of some of the work they have contributed on Neville's Facebook page.

Update: 23rd March
The auction raised £1900 to go to MIND. Fantastic effort all round, and congratulations to Neville and all involved.

Roderick Johnny RIP

Deptford poet Roderick Johnny passed away on Wednesday 24th October 2012. Roderick was one of the sons of the Johnny family who run Deptford's much loved (and only) hardware store. Regular high street visitors will remember Roderick as a gentle and colourful character, who may have stopped them once or twice to read them a poem or sell them his latest published anthology.

The funeral service will be at the Catholic church, Our Lady of the Assumption, tomorrow (Wednesday 7th November) at 10.30am, followed by a burial at Hither Green Cemetery at midday.

Friends are invited to celebrate Roderick's life in the afternoon at Utrophia (120-122 Deptford High Street).

Neville Johnny, the lovely guy you'll usually find behind the counter at Johnny's, has set himself a challenge to raise funds for MIND, in Roderick's memory. Neville says "I started this in order to raise money for MIND having been brought up with two brothers with mental health issues. Recently, one of them, Roderick, has died very suddenly and I will now be doing this cycle ride in his memory. You are missed."

We're not sure how far Neville plans to cycle, but he's set a date for 22 September 2013, by which time he hopes to have raised £4,000. Donations can be made to MIND via this link.