How an enterprising estate agent is turning graffiti into a success story for charity

Here is an estate agent story with a very poignant, and inspirational, difference.

Just over a year ago, south-east London estate agents Allen Heritage were running a new homes site in Croydon.

Over one weekend, they saw that someone had applied graffiti to the hoarding ahead of Remembrance Sunday.

Staff called him “Poppy Boy”.

Rob Allen said: “We had no idea who the artist was but felt that it was too good to lose and decided to remove the piece from the hoarding and see if we would be able to raise a few quid at auction with all proceeds to the Royal British Legion.

“With very little publicity, other than word of mouth, we were amazed by a total of 60 bids and the resulting successful bid of £1,000 made by a local resident.”

Earlier this month, the firm was contacted by the original artist.

Allen said: “He was delighted that we were not annoyed about the graffiti last year and was so delighted with what we had achieved at auction with the ‘Poppy Boy’ that he has completed two further artworks, ‘Poppy Soldiers’.

“He asked us to again auction on behalf of the Royal British Legion and see if we can get anywhere close to last year’s success.”

Here are the two new ‘Poppy Soldiers’ that also appeared as graffiti and which again have been ‘rescued’ and have just been put up on jumblebee auction site. Brilliant.

https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/poppysoldier

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6 Comments

  1. aidan branch

    Everything about this story is heartwarming. Congratulations to all concerned.

    Report
    1. 70GJ

      Except the grafitti which is vandalism of someone else’s property.

      Report
      1. Bless You

        Not exactly graffiti is it . More street art.

        Graffiti is rubbish.

        This is art.

        Report
      2. Stateoftheart

        Please understand that I bought all the boards in which I put my artwork on and asked permission from all property’s to allow them to be fixed up. No laws where broken here

        Report
        1. 70GJ

          in that case it is not graffiti but art so well done agent and artist.

          I really hate grafitti though!

          Report
  2. AgencyInsider

    Brilliant. Well done to the firm – and the artist. If all graffiti was this good it would be a bonus rather than a blight.

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