Banbury animal rescue charity launches pet portrait contest fundraiser

Banbury Animal Rescue & Kindness Service (BARKS) is giving anyone living within 20 miles of Banbury the chance to win a professional photographic portrait of themselves and one or two of their pets.

Behind the lens is King's Sutton photographer Jannine Paxton-Timms whose specialities include family, child and pet photography, and who is donating her time and expertise to the project.

Jannine, who runs JPT Photographic, is a new volunteer with BARKS, said: “I like to shoot relaxed, vibrant portraits that capture the bond between pet and human.

"We'll have to observe social distancing, and do the winning shoot outside, rather than in a studio; but that still allows plenty of scope to be creative and have some fun.”

Each entry for the contest is £5 per household for up to two pets and two people to feature in the winning portrait shot.

The closing date for entries is Saturday 25 July 2020 and the winner will be notified by early August.

To enter the contest you must send a picture of your pet, and complete a fill-in-the-blank sentence about your pet.

In no more than 20 words each person must complete this sentence: My pet(s) deserve(s)to have a special portrait photograph taken because... .

You must also send your contact details such name, address, phone number, email, name of pet(s), to the following email for JPT Photographic at: [email protected].

The contest will give the lucky winner a free photo portrait (10 digital shots, one framed shot of choice) of them, and their beloved animal or animals: up to two pets - any breed, any age, any size. There's also a runner-up prize of a shorter photo shoot and four digital prints and a framed shot.

Find out more about the 'Pets in the Picture' contest by visiting the News & Events section of the BARKS website at www.barks.org.uk or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/BarksBanbury .

BARKS chair Ann Collins added: “Lots of people adore their pet and cherish that bond. This is a chance to win an individual portrait photo of your family's best friend – either a single animal or a pair – and help other less fortunate animals at the same time.

“Jannine's expertise is giving us the opportunity to make this contest the finale to our 2020 lockdown StayCATion Appeal. We hope it will boost our income, and help to tide us over till the autumn.

“Keeping funds coming in releases our small team from the pressure of additional urgent fundraising when social distancing eventually ends. Instead, now that we can do adoptions again, we are concentrating on matching owners with animals plus taking in new faces.”

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