TAS Kington Langley sponsors the prizes for The Rt Hon Michelle Donelan, MP’s Coronation Painting Competition. ‘A once in a lifetime opportunity to display your paintings’

TASKL was very pleased to fund the prizes for this painting competition. Different age groups were involved in the wider Chippenham area and the winners of the three age groups were selected.

The prizes, which were art packs from Artway, a local company. All high-quality materials which will be of great use to an artist. These were put in a TAS bag along with information about The Art Society and TAS Kington Langley lecture programme, our art volunteering projects and a TAS Magazine.

As well as the art materials Michelle’s team organised a day out in London for the winners and their families. We had lunch in the Jubilee Café in the Houses of Commons. Simon then gave us a very knowledgeable and comprehensive tour of the Palaces.

Starting in Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the Palace we saw ‘New Dawn’ the latest piece of artwork commemorating female suffrage.  

We were extremely honoured to be able to go into The Chapel of St Mary Undercroft - St Stephen's Chapel - House of Commons, normally out of bounds to anyone other than MP’s. This was the most beautiful decorated crypt, glistening with gold, stained glass windows, chandeliers, encaustic tiles, - an overload to the senses. 

We then visited the Visitors’ Gallery and listened to part of a debate on the environment, we toured through the House of Lords Chamber, saw the thrones, The Royal Gallery with the curator giving us a talk on the selection of paintings and then to the Robing Room which can only be used by the monarch. Queen Victoria used it on her own even though Prince Albert had designed various wall paintings, to show his love for her.

Passing by the Royal Stairway, we head back to the House of Commons Chamber where we had another guided tour by one of the ushers of the house. Again, we were not able to sit on the benches but we found out that most of the items in the chamber were donated by Commonwealth countries after the war when the chamber had been bombed. We were able to make a wish on the dispatch box, learn about ‘toeing the line’ and countless other bits of information that were fascinating.

Then a quick walk to Downing Street, through security and the walk to that front door! We took lots of photographs of the winners and their families and then we were inside. 

We had a guided tour of the house, saw Winston Churchill’s favourite reading chair, a Henry Moore that Margaret Thatcher had placed in an apse in the long corridor, found out who Mr Downing was, how the house at the front linked to the mansion at the back, how 249 people worked in Downing Street – so a crowded working environment!

Up the famous yellow staircase with the pictures of all the prime ministers on display, the White Drawing Room where the pictures with visitor’s are taken, the PM always on the right of the fireplace and two beautiful late Turners – on loan from the Tate, the decorations done by the Blairs -leaving little carved bees on the book cases,  the gilding done by Mrs Thatcher, and also the carving of a thatcher above the doorway – there will always be a Thatcher in Downing Street!

Finally, to the cabinet Office, the PM’s chair in front of the fireplace and always out ready, the bomb proof windows, bookcases and books left by previous PM’s and a picture of Mrs Thatcher keeping an eye on proceedings.

The exhibition of the winner’s work was on the hall table, but as no photographs are allowed in No 10 we finished with photographs on the doorstep once again.

It was an amazing experience for the winners and their families