Picture her surprise – Katie shocked at destiny of her art

Katie Lally works as a housekeeper at the 14-bedroom hotel – The Red Lion (Doncaster).

She originally joined the staff in 2021 at the South Yorkshire pub as a bar associate and progressed to team leader before switching to the hotel staff.

Katie had been working at the pub for around six months when a colleague mentioned a piece of art on display in the hotel which might be of interest.

Katie explained: “I didn’t know it was there and was mortified!”

The subject of her embarrassment was a picture which Katie had drawn, herself, as a 12-year-old schoolgirl, as part of an artwork competition.

She recalled: “In 2015, I was in year 7 at school when we were asked to draw a place of interest in Doncaster for a project.

“Some of the others chose established sites in Doncaster, like the racecourse, but I wanted to draw somewhere new.

“Whitby’s fish and chip restaurant had recently opened, so I chose that as my subject.

“All the artwork pieces were then used to decorate the newly opened hotel at The Red Lion, and my artwork is still on display.”

In the decade since, Katie has become a mum to two-year-old Arlo and qualified as a primary school teacher after three years’ study.

Katie added: “I enjoy my role as housekeeper.

“The hours fit in with taking care of Arlo, as well as the studying to be a primary teacher, something I have always wanted to do.

“As a result, I am still drawing – and the fish and chip restaurant is still there.”