Art for Impact gala raises £7,850 for neurodivergent youth in Tower Hamlets

By AI, Created 1:55 PM UTC, May 23, 2026, /AGP/ – The inaugural Art for Impact Gala at Preston Turnbull LLP in the City of London raised £7,850 for neuroscience-based programmes serving neurodivergent young people in Tower Hamlets. The event drew 125 guests, featured 30 original works by four artists, and included a football-shirt auction donated by former England international Darren Bent.

Why it matters: - The gala raised money for neuroscience-based support aimed at neurodivergent young people aged 16 to 25 in Tower Hamlets, East London. - The funding supports programmes focused on cognition, resilience, life skills and employability. - The event also tested a fundraising model that blends contemporary art sales with social impact.

What happened: - Katharine’s Trust and NeuroLeadership.io announced the results of the inaugural Art for Impact Gala. - The gala took place on 7 May 2026 at Preston Turnbull LLP in the City of London. - The event raised a total of £7,850. - Organisers said 125 guests attended from the legal, financial services and arts communities. - The evening featured a contemporary art exhibition, a silent auction and keynote speeches. - The programme was hosted by MC Bevlyn Clement.

The details: - Thirty original works by four artists were displayed across the Preston Turnbull LLP gallery space. - Four artworks sold on the night, with additional sales completed in the following days. - The sold works included The Jazz Man and Old Wine in New Bottle by London-based Nigerian artist Michael Echekoba. - The sold works also included Rainmakers of the Sacred Earth from the Tribal Harmony Series by the late Dooyum Raphael Ahikyaa, who lived from 1979 to 2024. - The sale list included Sunset Over the Water by Nigerian artist Nkiru Ogbonna. - Eric Sher, a South African abstract expressionist, was the fourth artist in the collection. - Sher was selected from 516 international artists for the Deutsche Bank Collection nomination, and the Nelson Mandela Foundation endorsed his Chancellor House drawing. - Proceeds from the sold works went directly to St. Katharine’s Trust, Registered Charity No. 1143837. - A silent auction included two signed football shirts donated by former England international Darren Bent. - Bent earned 13 senior England caps and made 36 appearances across Under-15 to Under-21 level. - One England shirt and one Tottenham Hotspur shirt sold to the same bidder for a combined £500. - The keynote address came from Mark Robinson, barrister and neurodivergent advocate. - Jonathan Campbell, trustee of St. Katharine’s Trust, delivered the opening address. - All proceeds support MindWealth Collective CIC, a neuroscience education platform founded by Pat Clough for young people aged 16 to 25 in Tower Hamlets. - MindWealth Collective is running a six-week pilot programme with Tower Hamlets Carer Centre. - The pilot is supported by a National Lottery Awards for All grant. - The programme uses neuroscience-based tools to help young carers understand cognition, build resilience and develop practical life and employability skills.

Between the lines: - The fundraising total is modest, but the event’s real value may be in proving that high-end art collecting can be tied to targeted local support. - The mix of legal, finance and arts guests suggests organisers are trying to build a repeatable donor network around the auction. - The inclusion of football memorabilia widened the appeal beyond art buyers alone. - Pat Clough said the gala was intended to prove a model in which serious contemporary art and social impact can sit together without sacrificing quality or provenance. - Clough said the response from guests and artists suggests the model is worth expanding.

What’s next: - The remaining collection from the gala is available for private sale, with proceeds continuing to support St. Katharine’s Trust. - Planning is underway for a second edition of Art for Impact. - Collectors and prospective corporate partners can register interest in the current collection or the next event. - Additional information is available at Art for Impact, St. Katharine’s Trust, MindWealth Collective and NeuroLeadership.io.