Hospital post box design winner hopes artwork draws ‘a smile’

The winner of a competition for artwork to decorate a post box at Noble’s Hospital has said she “hopes it puts a smile on people’s faces”.

The Isle of Man Post Office launched the contest, under the theme Our Beautiful Island, as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations last year.

Former teacher and veteran field archer Lesley Sleight’s design called Sea to Summit – Colours of Mann, can be seen in the foyer of the hospital.

She said she was inspired by the island’s “unique selling point of its landscape, the rivers, the seas, the hills, and the mountain”.

The Ronague-based artist said she sued blues, pinks and greens to reflect the colours of the Manx tartan, while the band of yellow was a nod to the corn fields near her home and the island’s national flower, cushag.

The gold number 50 recognised the postal institution’s half century of service on the island, she said.

Ms Sleight, who started painting during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown period, said she worked on the concept in sketch form for three or four weeks before “going for it” and completing the design in one day.

The post office team had “really done it justice enlarging it from the original A4 design” and she was “thrilled and honoured” to see it in person, she said.

“Hopefully it make people smile in a place where people tend to visit for difficult reasons,” she added.

A post box at Ronaldsway Airport has also been converted using a design featuring a range of Manx landmarks by Manx artist Victoria Thomas.