A HIGHBRIDGE artist is raising funds for the NHS by asking for donations for her pandemic inspired artwork.

Cassie Williams, 29, usually paints animals and commissions pet portraits but felt inspired by the coronavirus crisis to paint a new piece of artwork.

The original artwork, which shows NHS workers wearing face masks while battling Covid-19 on the frontline, has set up a fundraising appeal on Facebook to raise funds for the NHS.

The fundraiser, which was set up on May 8, will last for three weeks and all funds raised will be donated to NHS Charities Together.

Cassie said: “This is something which is a little bit different from my normal work.

“The painting shows the terror our front line workers are faced with and how they are the ones that get us through this.

“It shows our last pandemic in 1918 known as the Spanish flu infecting 500 million people which is about a third of the worlds population.

“Originally the painting was going to be raffled off to make money for the NHS Charities Together however I have decided to set the fundraising through Facebook for three weeks.

“Once the three weeks is up I will then decide what will happen with the painting. “’Pandemic’ is an original A3 painted in oils and is a one off so no prints will be made of it.

“It has been professionally framed. The frame was donated by local photographer Nick Tolley.”

So far Cassie has raised 265 for the NHS but said she hopes to raise as much as possible for the NHS.

“This piece was painted in honor of the recent outbreak of Covid-19 and what amazing people we have on the front line risking their own lives and seeing it through their eyes the terror they are facing to save others,” Cassie said.

“I want to raise as much as possible for the NHS so I would encourage everyone to donate as much or as little as they can.”

For more information or to donate to Cassie’s appeal search for Cassie Williams Art on Facebook.