'Hands are overrated' - limbless artist donates paintings to charity

Tom Yendell, a Winchester man born without arms or legs, has given 24 paintings to Heartbeat, a cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation charity.

Speaking about his act of generosity, he joked: “Hands are overrated. I have lived an incredibly full and enjoyable life and I was raised to be socially minded, so I believe it’s important to give back.”

Tom’s mother was given Thalidomide during her pregnancy, causing his congenital condition.

He taught himself to draw and paint with his feet and mouth and went on to achieve a BA in Expressive Arts from Brighton University.

His time in education was a turning point, Tom said: “I was told to get on with it, I adapted and found that I could get by. I tried new things and pushed myself.”

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Tom decided to give away his paintings after attending a talk by Tina Tolley, head of business and donor development at Heartbeat.

They will be hung up in Heartbeat House, a facility providing accommodation for those undergoing treatment at Southampton Hospital.

The meeting with Ms Tolley sparked another idea: as a board member of the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists Association (MFPA), which supports more than 750 artists worldwide, Tom hopes the organisation will continue to collaborate with Heartbeat in the future to raise money for both causes.

Ms Tolley said: "Heartbeat have been overwhelmed by Tom’s generosity. We’re very grateful to Tom. It’s incredible that he’s supporting our charity in this way.”

For now, Tom continues to express himself on the canvas in his unique style.

"I don’t like the word disabled – it’s negative,” he said. “I much prefer to think of it as being unique. We’re all unique, just like Heartbeat. That is what makes us special.”