Jobs for the girls

are being found in Bideford by local artist John Mills. Mr Mills from Hunter’s Lodge, Monkleigh is responsible for the painting club spot in Associated Rediffusion television children’s programme ‘Tuesday Rendezvous’ and each month he sets a nation-wide competition. Entries can sometimes be more than 10,000. In order to cope with the flood of entries a special post office box number was registered at Barnstaple. From there the entries are brought to Bideford and the Guides set about the task of opening them and sorting them into the four age groups. Last month 32 Guides were occupied for six or seven hours unwrapping 9,000 entries. This month they have to tackle more than 15,000.

Entries are received not only from all parts of this country and Eire, but even from France, but Mr Mills cannot recollect having seen a painting from Bideford, although there have been some from Hartland. Mr Mills has always felt it was a pity they could not be seen in their true colours so when it was suggested that a travelling exhibition should be arranged, he grabbed the opportunity. It is now in London and will eventually be sent round the world.

Gazette article 18 January 1963