Doorstep portraits bring festive joy
Christmas doorstep portraits have helped created the festive spirit – and raised hundreds of pounds for charity.
The Decorate Your Doorstep contest has been running in Shrewsbury, with the aim of getting homes looking festive in time for last week’s Carols on the Doorstep event.
Photographer Birgitta Zoutman came up with the idea, and prizes were awarded for Most Fun, Most Stylish and Most Over the Top decorations.
Entrants were offered the chance to have Christmas Doorstep Portraits taken in return for a donation to the Shrewsbury Food Bank. Nearly £300 has been raised so far.
Birgitta said: “Raising money for the food bank with my doorstep project has without doubt been and is my proudest achievement and I want to thank you all for supporting a cause that is so very important to me and makes such a difference to people’s lives – and not just during this pandemic.
"I have a few spaces left for Doorstep Portraits and all I ask for I return is a donation to the Shrewsbury Food Bank via my Just Giving Page.”
Grateful
Katy Rink, organiser of Carols on the Doorstep and editor of My Shrewsbury magazine, added: “We are so grateful to everyone who has gone to so much trouble to decorate their homes this year.
“We’ve loved seeing all of your entries. Birgitta’s doorstep portraits brilliantly capture the flavour of this unique Christmas season and show the great warmth and community spirit that was so evident during the Carols on the Doorstep.
“They are a very special record of this particular moment in time.”
Winner of the category for ‘Most Fun’ decorations was Heidi Gomm, of Ellesmere Road, who created her stunning gnome-inspired display dedicated to her brother Sam, a talented musician.
She said: “It’s been a difficult year for everybody but particularly for people with mental health issues.
“My brother Sam was bipolar and took his own life last year and I wanted to shine a light of happiness in his memory. We decided to embrace Christmas this year in his honour.”
