The organiser of the British National Party’s Question Time debate, Mike Whitby, has confirmed that during this event there will be an auction of two framed items to raise funds for the British Veterans’ Group (BVG).

Mr Whitby said “I have received a framed edition of the Voice of Freedom celebrating the party’s victory against the Equalities Commission from an ex-serviceman and I think it would be appropriate that the money raised from its auction on the evening went to the British Veterans’ Group.”

The second auction item has been donated by the party’s Veterans Officer, Pete Molloy, who also runs the BVG and is a print of a subject that is very much part of our culture.

The print is entitled Tapestry: The Arming and Departure of the Knights of the Round Table on the Quest for the Holy Grail by Sir Edward Burne-Jones.

Description of the print:
This sequence of tapestries was originally designed for William Knox D'Arcy, for the dining room of his house, Stanmore Hall in Middlesex.

Several further versions were woven later. Birmingham's 'Arming and Departure' is one of three tapestries commissioned in 1895 by the industrialist Laurence Hodson, for his house Compton Hall near Wolverhampton.

The subject matter is based on the 15th century text Le Morte D'Arthur (The Death of Arthur) by Sir Thomas Malory. It tells the story of the spiritual quest by the knights of King Arthur's round table for the Holy Grail, the cup from which Jesus and the disciples drank at the Last Supper.

Here the second scene depicts the virgin ladies of King Arthur's Court assisting the knights in preparation for their quest. On the far left, Queen Guinevere hands Sir Lancelot his shield, in an allusion to their adulterous relationship, the cause of Sir Lancelot's impending failure.

Sir Gawaine, who will also fail in the quest, appears mounted on the right of the picture, identified by his shield, which bears a double-headed eagle.

Burne-Jones based the costumes loosely on those of the twelfth century. Throughout the series Morris designed the heraldry, and Dearle designed the flowers in the foreground.

The cost of this A2 framed print is £140 from Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery http://www.bmagprints.org.uk/image/411433/sir-edward-burne-jones-morris-...

Mr Molloy said “It’s a very nice print and I’m very sure that the person who gets it will be very happy with it.”