Rainbow Decorations: Raising Money for our NHS

Amidst the bid to be productive, resourceful and get all the jobs i’ve been meaning to do FOREVER done when lockdown was announced, I started to make clay rainbow decorations using up all the excess clay that accumulates during my makes.

Initially I made about 15 just to post to friends and family during the Covid-19 epidemic. Sending just a little bit of joy and reminding them that we were thinking of them during lockdown.

I decided this could be a way of helping raise money for the NHS, to try and do my tiny part to help during a super strange and challenging time. I found many people wanted to send a little gift to a loved one, to a key worker or a message of reassurance to someone they were missing. I asked in return that they made a donation to the NHS, which could be selected via my website.

I was totally inundated with orders and spent two weeks of my lockdown making rainbows and sending lovely messages around the country. For two weeks 100% of sales were donated to the NHS. I was thrilled to raise over £2000 in just those two weeks alone, which I was delighted to donate to Sheffield Hospitals Charity. You can see what your donation will contribute towards here.

Artfelt have also received £400 of donations. Artfelt transforms the hospital’s walls and spaces with bright art, helping children recover in an environment tailored to them. The programme also puts on workshops for youngsters to provide distraction during anxious moments – such as before an operation, and to break up long stays on the wards. I was keen to donate to an NHS charity that also had a creative aspect and this felt like the perfect match. During the pandemic Artfelt were unable to run their workshops so donations will help to keep art in the hospital, by funding virtual music workshops and tailored art packs for patients.

The NHS rainbows have become a permanent fixture on my website so you can continue to send messages of joy and positivity and I can continue to donate to such a worth cause. I will continue to donate 50% of sales to the NHS.