11 September 2006                                                                       

NEWS RELEASE

HAXBY DES RES GIVEN THUMBS UP BY
LAURENCE LLEWELYN-BOWEN

The ‘compact and bijou’ residence of a Haxby man has won the approval of interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.

The former presenter of BBC1’s Changing Rooms inspected Cyril Murfitt’s handywork in every room and declared it a success. But Cyril’s project was on a pretty small scale - decorating a doll’s house which won a national competition.

Cyril, 77, is one of a growing number of men flouting the steryotype that doll’s houses are strictly for the nursery. Cyril has been a life-long fan of model aeroplanes. When he began to experience problems with his eyesight and it was no longer safe to fly them he decided to look for a fresh hobby.

He stumbled by chance across a doll’s house ready for decorating in a market - and a new passion began. He began to visit the Sue Ryder Care shop in York’s Goodramgate to buy accessories for his house, including full bathroom suite and flying ducks, from the charity’s popular range. He then signed up to Sue Ryder Care’s Hickleton Collector’s Club, which was launched last year, and entered its competition for the best ‘home make-over’.

Cyril’s house - which comes complete with family - was selected as the winner and as part of the prize went on display at Sue Ryder Care’s Art Liberating Lives event, at the Mall Galleries, in London, last month.

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen was judging entries in the art competition on the night and paused to examine Cyril’s mansion in miniature. 

Cyril, whose three children and two grandchildren love his new hobby, is now set to give a talk to fellow local members of the Hickleton Collector’s Club, at the first meeting of the local branch,  on Wednesday ?, at 7pm.

Tara Setterfield, of Sue Ryder Care’s New Goods Division, will also give a talk at the event, at which all doll’s house enthusiasts will be welcome.

Cyril said: “It was my first doll’s house so I really didn’t expect to win. Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen seeing it was the icing on the cake. Sue Ryder Care sent me a photo of him looking at it and I will preserve it for ever.” 

The house, as well as the photograph with ‘LLB’, will go on display in the shop’s window.

Sue Ryder Care sells more than 6,000 dolls houses a year across its 430 shops in the UK and countless accessories. All sales contribute to the specialist palliative and neurological care the charity provides at 15 care centres nationwide, for people living with a variety of complex conditions, including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s Disease and cancer, including Sue Ryder Care - Holme Hall, on Spalding Moor.

By signing up to the Hickleton Collectors Club people will receive a members newsletter four times a year, special discounts, a first peek at goods not available in store, advance notice of new products and the ability to beat the queues by pre-ordering. People can sign up to the club by filling in a form at any Sue Ryder Care shop or by post by sending a cheque for £4.99, payable to Sue Ryder Care Direct Ltd, to Hickleton Collectors Club, Sue Ryder Care Direct Ltd, Unit B, West March, Daventry, NN11 4SA.