Nikki Sharpe, personal injury lawyer at Thompsons Solicitor’s and founder of social enterprise Youth Can Achieve, has just been made South Yorkshire Regional Coordinator for Speight of the Art, a Foundation set up by Oliver Speight in memory of his son, popular children’s TV presenter and artist, Mark Speight.

The Speight of the Art Foundation was established in 2008 to seek out future artistic skills and talent in children age 4- 18 and to promote and encourage the involvement of all young people in art as a means of self expression, contributing to personal and community development.

Nikki was delighted to be invited to become involved after an artist friend at the Equality and Human Rights Commission introduced her to Oliver at an art exhibition last year.

“Youth Can Achieve is all about bringing excellence within the reach of disadvantaged children”, says Nikki . “Through Oliver ’s inspiring foundation, we will be able to bring recognised artists to Sheffield and the South Yorkshire region, to work with vulnerable and disabled children.”

Speight of the Art sets up and runs art workshops for children of all ages in schools and the community, utilising the skills of professional artists, encourages children’s art skills by promoting and exhibiting children’s art work in public areas, and is working with the NHS to promote and develop art in hospitals. The Foundation runs Regional and National competitions to encourage children to participate in art and the future aim is to set up a National competition which will award scholarships to the successful.

“It is an exciting opportunity for Sheffield’s children and one which we are proud to be bringing to Yorkshire ,” adds Nikki . “ Mark was such a talented person- I am only sorry I wasn’t able to meet him while he was alive, but his father is creating a legacy I am sure Mark would have been proud of, improving the lives of children everywhere through the art he loved so much.

Oliver Speight says ‘ We are delighted to welcome Nikki Sharpe on board and look forward to working with Youth can Achieve to inspire young people in South Yorkshire and help them achieve their artistic potential. We are also trying to spread the message that the benefits of art are widespread and ALL children can benefit from participation in artistic activities and we hope that we can prove this to be true through our activities for children and parents in South Yorkshire’ For more information on the benefits of art click here