After co-curating a special exhibition and hosting an episode of the award-winning That Peter Crouch Podcast from Gosport Gallery back in July, former professional footballer Peter Crouch and his team have generously donated to the gallery through Hampshire Cultural Trust’s Community Christmas Tree campaign.
The podcast episode featured The Sixteenth Chapel - a Roy Keane exhibition displayed in Gosport Gallery and on Hampshire Cultural Trust’s (HCT) digital publication, Culture on Call. The exhibition was a series of photos sent in by podcast listeners of football fan selfies with Roy Keane, the former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland player. He is well known for his dislike of being asked for photographs with fans, leading to some amusing images being taken, accompanied by even more amusing comments. The exhibition was titled The Sixteenth Chapel after Keane's iconic Manchester United shirt number and the inclusion of 16 pictures.
HCT’s Community Christmas Tree campaign began at the start of November, just prior to the national lockdown, when the charity’s fundraising team installed a Christmas tree in eight of the trust’s museums and galleries across the county. The aim of the campaign is to highlight some of the community projects that have taken place at HCT, using the festive period to bring communities together and help support those who are most vulnerable or in need
To support the campaign, a Christmas tree decoration was commissioned by the team at That Peter Crouch Podcast. At the top of the Christmas tree in the centre of Gosport Gallery, a cardboard cut-out of Peter Crouch stands tall, in his famous ‘robot’ pose, channelling a traditional Christmas fairy in a festive silver tutu.
Peter Crouch commented, ‘A gallery that brought so much joy to so many deserves our help’.
For more information on the HCT Christmas campaign please visit https://www.hampshireculture.org.uk/support-us/community-christmas-trees-2020.
To see The Sixteenth Chapel exhibition please visit https://www.cultureoncall.com/the-sixteenth-chapel.