Mental health art project Centrepieces held its 15th annual auction last month to raise money and awareness about the help it can offer.

Prospective buyers were invited to an auction space set up in one of the vacant spaces at the Orchards shopping centre offering more than 100 framed pieces of artwork and a variety of sculpture work.

Bidding began before the auction, with several bids already accepted by the time it started on Saturday November 14.

Auctioneer Paul Adams, chairman of the Disabled Photographer’s Society, invited bids from the floor, with each artist introduced via a touching biography from fellow painter Nicole.

Paul’s enthusiasm encouraged a generous response, resulting in 40 pieces of work being sold in just 90 minutes, raising £1,200.

The charity’s assistant co-ordinator, Dawn Tomlin, said: “We were delighted. The auction is a highlight of Centrepieces’s calendar, as everyone, volunteers and staff, all pull together to make it as successful as possible.

“It’s great to see all that hard work rewarded and such a lot of money raised.”

Originally established with a £5,000 Millennium Award from the National Lottery, Centrepieces is based at Hall Place in Bexley and is supported by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust.

About 100 artists now contribute to the project, responsible for local displays such as The Worrier statue in Crayford.