Nick gives the gift of laughter

Dec 19 2007 by Chloe Griffiths, The Journal

TEN lucky readers got an extra dose of Christmas cheer this week thanks to The Journal.

The chosen 10 win a copy of a cartoon book packed full of the finest comic sketches to appear in The Journal.

Levity 2007 is a year in the life of the North-East as seen through the eyes of Nicholas – cartoonist Nick Whitmore – featuring 75 of his favourite cartoons covering everything from family life to crime, health, sport and the environment.

His daily dose of topical cartoon fun has featured on this paper’s Page 2 since July 2006 – making readers cry with laughter and occasionally pain.

Every evening the cartoonist – who has also enjoyed success with Private Eye, The Spectator and Reader’s Digest – arrives in The Journal’s newsroom to create funny, yet provoking takes on the day’s news.

And while Private Eye has regularly used his drawings in its “best of” anthologies over the years, this is the first time a collection of his finest work has been compiled.

Nick, who until recently taught sculpture and drawing at Northumbria University, says he is “humbled and proud” to at last have his own compilation.

He added: “Quite a lot of the Levity gags owe their existence to colleagues at The Journal.

“They come up with the ideas and suggestions. It harks back to a cartoon being a collective sense of humour; it only works if we all think it’s funny.”

Levity 2007 costs £4.99 and is available from the front reception at The Journal, on Groat Market, Newcastle.

You can also get a copy by calling (0191) 201-6001 or online at www.journallive.co.uk/giftideas

Copies can also be bought at Fenwick, Newcastle; Waterstone’s in Durham, MetroCentre and Newcastle; and Borders, Team Valley Gateshead and Silverlink, North Tyneside.

The winners of the Levity Book competition are: Kay Redfern, of Beamish, County Durham; Sheena Wilkinson, of Bedlington, Northumberland; Mrs O Potts, of Blyth, Northumberland; Christine Kavannah, of Gateshead; Marie Marsh, of Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear; Jennifer Morgan, of County Durham; Andrew Ross, of Sunderland; Geraldine Gibson, of Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear; Mrs White, of Newcastle and Karleen Lee, of Berwick-upon- Tweed, Northumberland.