A Calne art teacher is saying thank you to the NHS by painting free portraits of keyworkers.

Emma Bennett, an art teacher at Kingsbury Green Academy, is taking part in the Portraits for NHS Heroes initiative.

She has accepted five commissions from NHS workers across the country, including nurses and surgeons, to paint their portraits.

Through her Instagram account, Emma asked for nominations and was quickly inundated with requests.

She chats with each subject over Instagram’s messaging feature before painting them and then the subject receives their portrait with no charge.

The thank you is also doubly as poignant for Emma, who in 2018 was diagnosed with Stage Three Breast Cancer and received care at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon.

Emma explained: “I have always enjoyed recording people’s faces but I started painting a lot more when I was going through chemotherapy, as it made the time fly during eight-hour hospital visits, as well as helping combat anxiety and uncertainty.

“As soon as I saw the #nhsportraitsforheroes on Instagram I knew I wanted to do it to give something back and immediately put it on my own profile. Within hours I had people contact me and it went from there.

“As I’ve been chatting to them it’s been wonderful hearing the stories about how they have come into the NHS and their experiences.

"They’ve come from all over the world; one nurse moved from Jamaica to train here and has just graduated early so she can work straightaway due to the pandemic. I feel so honoured to paint their portraits, I feel as though they’ve chosen me rather than the other way around.

“The plan is to hopefully have an exhibition at the end of this with everyone who has taken part. It would be amazing to get together in real life and meet the people I’ve been painting.”

Emma, who is also a former student of Kingsbury Green Academy, then named the John Bentley School, has been teaching at the school since 2003 and takes on paid commissions for portraits of people and pets in her spare time.

She continued: “I think by being a teacher who is also a working artist it helps the students really engage with art and the possibilities and opportunities.

"The school has changed name and how it looks since I was here, but the students are the same hardworking and genuinely caring, and the school philosophy of getting the best out of them and being part of the community continues.”

Jason Tudor, Principal at Kingsbury Green Academy, said: “Emma is a wonderful inspiration to her students, not only in her outlook and how she translates that into her artwork, but also in her desire to give back and say thank you."

To see Emma’s #portraitsforNHSheroes, visit her Instagram page, @Emjoben, at www.instagram.com/emjoben.