hockney's birthday
Pupils at BGS wished world famous artist David Hockney a happy birthday as they queued up for their lunch today. A huge birthday card for the 80 year old Bradford born artist was at his former school for pupils and staff to sign.

The birthday card is part of a bid by Bradford Council’s Museums and Galleries Service to break the Guinness World Record for the number of signatures on a greetings card. Officers from the newly opened permanent David Hockney Gallery at Bradford Council’s Cartwright Hall have got together with Bradford greetings card company Hallmark Cards plc, to produce an enormous birthday card with space for over 22,000 signatures.

The Official Guinness World Record for the most signatures on a greetings card is currently held by the Dubai Police force with 13,288 signatures; however an attempt by Staffordshire County Council with around 21,500 signatures is still to be ratified, so Bradford needs at least 22,000 signatures to make it count.
The giant card which is around 180cm tall and 120cm wide, has been designed by Hallmark Cards using inspiration from Hockney’s famous artworks to create the number 80 as a collage.

Simon Hinchliffe, Headmaster at BGS said: “Bradford Grammar School is delighted to be able to support this world record attempt by our city’s excellent Museums and Galleries Service. BGS pupils will doubtless have a bit of fun adding their names to the Birthday card for former pupil David Hockney and many of us have visited the superb Hockney exhibition at Cartwright Hall in nearby Lister Park.”

Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s executive member for environment, sport and culture, said: “We are really pleased that pupils from David Hockney’s former school will get the chance to take part in this Official Guinness World Record attempt. We want as many people from across the district to sign the card and can arrange for groups of people to visit or we can take the card out to groups, work places, sports teams, art clubs or communities for people to sign.”

The card will also be at The Broadway Shopping Centre Saturday 9 September between 9am and 6pm for people to sign. People can also take part in this amazing record attempt and wish David Hockney a happy 80th birthday by signing the card on-line.

“Bradford Grammar School is delighted to be able to support this world record attempt by our city’s excellent Museums and Galleries Service.

BGS pupils will doubtless have a bit of fun adding their names to the Birthday card for former pupil David Hockney and many of us have visited the superb Hockney exhibition at Cartwright Hall in nearby Lister Park.”

Simon Hinchliffe, Headmaster

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