Pete McKee, Kaiser Chiefs' Ricky Wilson and Leigh Francis get creative to support Samaritans fundraiser

Sheffield artist Pete McKee, Leeds comic-cum-presenter Leigh Francis and the Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson from Leeds responded to an appeal by artist Sarah Graham.

She even got former Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker from Skelmanthorpe involved. She persuaded more than 150 artists to create camper van pictures for an auction that will benefit the group which “provided a lifeline” when she suffered from depression.

Other celebrities taking part in Samarivans include musicians James Bay and Kim Wilde. An auction of the work begins on September 22 and paintings can currently be viewed online.

Sarah Graham, who is based in Hertfordshire, is best known for creating the Souvenir album cover for the Kaiser Chief frontman Wilson.Inspiration for Samarivans came from Background Bob, a project by a teenage boy Noah that involved Ed Sheeran.

Ms Graham, who is currently in remission for bipolar disorder, said she feels “passionately about fundraising to say thank you to such a wonderful charity that has saved my life more than once”.

Ilsa Hawtin, director of North Herts and Stevenage Samaritans said she is “over the moon with the idea” and the money raised will help with their future plans to move to a larger premises.

Ms Graham, who has spent 22 years working as a full-time artist, hopes the fundraiser will “help others onto a path of recovery.”

Leigh Francis – known as Keith Lemon – said: “So here’s my childish sharpie doodle. I don’t know what it is but as soon as I saw the VW camper van it just made me think of Gremlins. I guess it’s because ‘Billy’ in the movie has a VW Beetle, it reminded me of that. “So whilst eating my dinner I set to work with pile of sharpies. As ya can see I had limited colours. But it is similar in colour and style to the illustrations used on the Gremins comic of the movie back in the day whilst trying to incorporate the VW camper van stencil.”

Ricky Wilson entitled his work “Posca pens on canvas board”. And Pete KcKee simply said he was “living the dream”.

Ms Graham, from Hertfordshire, is a full-time artist known for “my colourful photorealist oil paintings of toys, sweets and food and all things kitsch”.

As well as creating the cover of the Kaiser Chiefs’ album Souvenir in 2012 she was also a guest judge on CBBC show Britain’s Best Young Artist.

She said: “I also have bipolar disorder, which I am currently in remission from. In the past, during severe episodes of debilitating depression, which resulted in me going into hospital on several occasions, Samaritans provided a lifeline for me.

“I feel passionately about fundraising to say thank you to such a wonderful charity that has saved my life more than once.” She added: “I came up with the idea for my fundraiser thanks to Background Bob, a project I myself contributed to.

“Background Bob is Noah and his dad Nathan Jones. 14-year-old Noah has Hydrocephalus, Epilepsy and cerebral palsy, and started painting abstract backgrounds and began by asking street artists they knew to paint on them. He has since collaborated with over 750 artists and celebrities from Grayson Perry to Ed Sheeran!

“I wondered how could I get all the artists I know to come together creatively and raise money? I’ve been painting camper van stencils for years...I’ll invite artists and creatives to create their own version, have a pop-up exhibition and auction them online.

“Alongside almost 100 artists already, I also have Keith Lemon, Ricky Wilson, Jodie Whittaker and west end star Kerry Ellis on board!”

Ilsa Hawtin, Director of North Herts & Stevenage Samaritans, who is over the moon with the idea. She said: “This is just fantastic news; I can’t thank you enough for your brilliant idea for fundraising for Samaritans. Our branch is self-funded, with nearly all funds to keep us in operation raised by our existing volunteers.

“We are also hoping to move in the not-too-distant future to a larger premises, to enable us to continue to grow and increase the support we provide to all callers - nationally and locally - and we will have to fundraise more than ever to enable that.”

The artwork will also be available on eBay so that anyone can bid. Samaritans volunteers provide emotional support to people in distress 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

To donate directly towards the cause without bidding for an artwork, you can do so here: https://samaritanscommunity.enthuse.com/pf/samarivans.