Robert Devereux sells collection to aid charity

Robert Devereux, Richard Branson's brother-in-law and former business partner at Virgin, has announced that he is to sell his art collection, using the proceeds to form a charity that will help African artists, The Observer reports. Consisting of 329 post-war paintings, sculptures and prints – including works by Frank Auerbach, Anthony Caro and Lucian Freud – Sotheby's, who are handling the auction have valued the sale at £4m. Devereux, who's business interests now involve the Soho House group, is quoted as stating "It can be a struggle to be an artist wherever you are, but in Africa the lack of resources makes the challenge infinitely greater".