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Bespoke guitar to be raffled for Rothbury funds

Andy WatsonBBC North East and Cumbria
BBC Jess Mills and Andrew Mills stand in their guitar shop curvy sounds. Jess is wearing an orange vest and orange and red trousers. Andrew is wearing a white t-shirt and orange trousers, he is also holding a bespoke silver guitar which he made himself. BBC
Jess and Andrew Mills own Curvy Sounds guitar shop in Heaton

A "one of a kind" guitar is being raffled to help raise funds for conservation groups attempting to buy the Rothbury Estate in Northumberland.

Curvy Sounds, in Heaton have customised a Tokai, Les Paul guitar which has already attracted interest from musicians from across the North East.

Jess Mills, co-owner of the guitar shop said: "Rothbury is a special place for us, it's such an important cause to restore that area and this is just our little way of helping."

Currently Wildlife Trusts and Northumberland Wildlife Trust have raised £26.2m of a £30m target to purchase the 3,800 hectare (15-sq-m) site in Northumberland, with plans to boost wildlife, restore bogs and promote nature-friendly farming.

A bespoke silver guitar decorated with hundreds of piece of mother of pearl and mirror plate, sits on top of a work station in Curvy Sound guitar shop in Heaton, Newcastle.
The bespoke guitar has been decorated with more than a hundred pieces of mother of pearl

Guitar maker Andrew Mills said he began to modify the guitar three years ago.

It was originally plain black but has since been decorated with more than 100 pieces of mother of pearl, resin and mirror plate.

"It's inspired by a make called Zemaitis who made guitars for Ronnie Wood, Donovan and George Harrison, I loved their pearl tops but this is one of a kind.

"It's taken the best part of three months to finish it off and you'd probably struggle to make another one, actually I'd even struggle to make it again," Andrew added.

Guitar maker Andrew Mills, is sat in front of a number of different guitars. He is wearing a white t-shirt and orange trousers, he is also holding a bespoke silver guitar which he made himself.
Local musicians have already bought raffle tickets to get their hands on the guitar

He said £3,000 has been raised so far through raffle sales which will be donated to the Wildlife Trusts to buy the Rothbury Estate.

Conservation groups attempting to buy the entirety of the estate have just over a month to secure £3.8m.

North East musicians including Duncan Lloyd from Maximo Park, jazz singer Faye MacCalman, Nev Clay and luthier Terry Doherty have all entered the raffle.

Local artists Claire Webster-Saaremets and Harriet Menter have also been raising funds through selling artwork and photography.

Jess Mills said she had been "overwhelmed by the support" from the local community.

"We wanted to help and the community have backed us, we are yet to have a date for when the raffle will take place but we're hoping it will be later this month," she added.

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