(Left to Right: Ali Schofield, House Manager, Mark Eden, Deputy House Manager,
Tom Yendell, Artist and Tina Tolley, Head of Business and Donor Development.)
Hampshire artist Tom Yendell is supporting cardiac charity, Heartbeat, by donating artwork from himself and other mouth and foot painters to enhance the experience of residents at Heartbeat House, the charity’s guest accommodation for people supporting patients at the Wessex Cardiac Unit.
Winchester native Tom was born without arms or hands because doctors prescribed the drug Thalidomide to his mother during her pregnancy. He grew up using his mouth, feet and chin to do everyday tasks.
Tom’s passion for art began very early. He taught himself to draw and paint with his feet and mouth and, after attending Treloar’s School and College in Alton, went on to achieve a BA in Expressive Arts from Brighton University.
His time at Treloar’s was a turning point, Tom said: “I was told to get on with it, I adapted and found that I could get by. I tried new things and pushed myself.”
Talking about overcoming adversity and his decision to help Heartbeat, Tom joked: “Hands are overrated. I have lived an incredibly full and enjoyable life and I was raised to be socially minded, so I believe it’s important to give back.”
Tom attended a talk by Tina Tolley, Head of Business and Donor Development at Heartbeat. He was inspired to hear about the work the charity does to support cardiac patients and their families – primarily through the charity’s home-away-from-home, 24-bedroom Rotary Heartbeat House, where people supporting patients undergoing treatment at University Hospital Southampton can stay.
Tom, who has been a working artist for most of his life, has donated 24 paintings from himself and other mouth and foot painters. As a board member of the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists Association, which supports more than 750 artists worldwide, Tom hopes the paintings will enrich the experience of anyone staying at Heartbeat House.
Tina Tolley said: "Heartbeat have been overwhelmed by Tom’s generosity. We’re very grateful to Tom. It’s incredible that he’s supporting our charity in this way. Tom and his fellow Mouth and Foot Painting Artists are fantastic, and having met Tom, he is such a great person to be around.”
Like Tom’s artwork, he’s one of a kind. "I don’t like the word disabled – it’s negative,” he said. “I much prefer to think of it as being unique. We’re all unique, just like Heartbeat, that is what makes us special.”
Heartbeat’s team are hoping this is the start of a great partnership, as Tina also wants to help the MFPA. She said: “The work the MFPA does is so important. We’re not only going to be displaying the pictures in the house, but we’re also offering anyone who is staying with us the chance to buy the paintings. That way, once they’re sold, we can make a contribution back to the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists too.”