ANTIQUES Roadshow expert Henry Sandon is used to handling expensive porcelain, but with 65 eager youngsters on hand it was with extra care that he presented an £850 Owl and Pussycat sculpture to a Worcester theatre group.
Mr Sandon, who lives in the city and is a world authority on Worcester porcelain, handed the sculpture to Worcester Operatic and Dramatic Society's Youth Section during a rehearsal for their show, Guys and Dolls, to be staged next month at the Swan Theatre.
The piece was hand-sculpted by Frances Wilson, of Bronté Porcelain Company Limited, based in Malvern, which numbers the Queen among those who have one of its exquisite sculptures. Mr Sandon is a director of the firm.
The sculpture will be the first prize in a raffle to be held during the run of Guys and Dolls, from Tuesday, August 1, to Saturday, August 5.
The winner will be announced by Mr Sandon on the last night of the show and the money raised will go to the Noah's Ark Trust, a Worcestershire-based charity that supports bereaved children, young people and their families.
During the rehearsal, Mr Sandon congratulated the youngsters on their enthusiasm and commitment, watching them working hard on a Saturday morning.
He said he was looking forward to seeing the show. "I have watched WODYS perform in the past and they are a really talented group. They have raised more than £10,000 for local charities and it is excellent that they are supporting Noah's Ark this year," he added.
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