Esther Rantzen and BT ArtBox Project
Along with about 80 artists and designers –including David Mach, Sir Peter Blake and Zandra Rhodes, ritchie*studio was invited to transform a Gilbert Scott K6 replica telephone kiosk to help the 25th anniversary of ChildLine’s fundraising campaign in 2012.
David Mach created ‘Out of Order’ – a public installation of 12 decommissioned iconic K6 red telephone boxes in 1989, known sometimes as twelve tumbling telephone boxes, permanently on display in Old London Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1QP.
A tireless campaigner and influential female presenter Esther Rantzen, who died recently, set up Childline in 1986 – telephone number 0800 1111, after discovering that many children suffered abuse and had nowhere to find help. As a result, children found the red telephone box a private lifeline away from abusers.
The charity was absorbed into the NSPCC – the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children – in 2006.
Her name was associated with an amazing raft of charity work, including setting up the Silver Line in 2013, a telephone counselling service for older people similar to Childline.
Esther Rantzen and Ian Ritchie in Trafalgar Sq. with the copper leaf telephone box 2012
Copper leaf telephone box at the Royal Academy of Arts
