Raffle's strumthing special

IT'S a unique guitar, signed by some top rock names and will soon be handed over to one lucky musician for just £1.

Donated by top guitar maker Gibson, it is being raffled off to raise money for a local charity which aims to brighten up hospitals with original art.

The guitar has been signed by artists including Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord, Edinburgh favourites Idlewild and Canadian indie rockers Barenaked Ladies.

It is hoped that the guitar will raise 15,000 for the charity Art In Healthcare.

The charity is still on the hunt for other well-known acts to add their names to the instrument, and have 15,000 1 raffle tickets for sale at the Capital's Hard Rock Cafe on George Street, where the guitar is on display.

Art In Healthcare assistant director Trevor Jones said: "I collared Jon Lord while he was in town being made an honorary fellow of Stevenson College and asked him to sign the guitar.

"I'm a Canadian myself, and when I heard Barenaked Ladies were playing the Picturehouse earlier this year I rushed the guitar round before the gig and got their signatures on it as well.

"Frightened Rabbit and We Were Promised Jetpacks just popped into the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch one day, and they got their pens out, too."

Mr Jones, who is an artist, gave the Epiphone Les Paul guitar a new look based on the work of early 20th century Australian artist Roy de Maistre, who combined art and music to create his own musical code called "colour music". He added: "Our charity has been lending high-quality, original Scottish artwork to healthcare facilities throughout the country for almost 20 years now to help brighten and 'humanise' these often dull and sterile spaces.

"There is much research that a visually stimulating and more familiar environment improves the healing process. Unfortunately, we are going through some exceptionally difficult financial times.

"We are three part-time staff with very small running costs, doing a lot of work throughout Scotland and we are in need of some help to make it through to the other side.

"This guitar raffle, with the help of the Hard Rock Cafe, will be an important part of our income as we are completely self-funded."

Art in Healthcare, originally set up as Paintings in Hospitals Scotland in 1991, has a collection of more than 1300 original works of art leased to various healthcare facilities including hospitals, care homes, hospices, GP offices, dental surgeries and medical research centres.

The guitar is hanging in the Hard Rock Cafe, where tickets can be bought and where the prize draw will take place on December 31.

Tickets are also available online at www.trevorjonesart.com or at Art in Healthcare, 32-36 Dalmeny Street..