Rachel Hare, owner and creative director of Belly Button Designs has joined forces with The Prince’s Trust to launch a new fundraising initiative that will boost the wellbeing of young people. Together with Fearne Cotton and her Happy Place initiative, The Prince’s Trust has launched The Great Create, which encourages people to have a go at making something together and discover how good it feels to get creative while raising vital funds to help young people.
Rachel is supporting The Great Create because in 1995 her dream of becoming a creative entrepreneur was realised with the help of The Prince’s Trust. “At the time I had completed a degree in Fine Arts and was working several small part time jobs,” says Rachel. “I heard about the Prince’s Trust through a scheme being run at Manchester City Council. Through a grant from the Trust I was able to attend a tradeshow, which Prince Charles attended and awarded me with a Silver medal. And we’ve gone onwards and upwards from there!”
Rachel wanted to be part of the Great Create “as part of our desire to do some good and spread the positive message about the amazing power of written word and the special nature of the simple card. It’s also a great to celebrate 25 years in business!”
To celebrate the Great Create, Belly Button Designs has invited 10 students from local school Priestnall School, to attend a special party on 26 March at the Belly Button design studio and HQ in Manchester. As well as tea and cake, the students will be putting together special ‘wellness packs’, containing notebooks, mugs and cards to take back to the Wellbeing Centre at the school to be handed out to other students who need extra support and to encourage better communication.
Greeting card printer Windles will be producing a special card and notebook to be included in these ‘wellness packs’ – the theme of which is being ‘just be kind’. “This will be the first image released from our new card launch we are planning for PG Live,” confirms Rachel.
The Great Create initiative is supported by STAEDTLER and its triplus range of creative products.
Top: The Great Create is supported by Fearne Cotton