Reiterating the announcement at yesterday’s (April 30) Covid-19 Press Briefing, Prime Minister Boris Johnson this morning (May 1) underlined the good news that used his Twitter feed “We are past the peak and we are on the downward slope. And we have so many reasons to be hopeful for the long term. But we can only defeat coronavirus by our collective discipline and working together.”
While much is still to unfurl as to how and when the greeting card industry is to embrace the new post-Covid-19 world, those in the extended greeting card community continue to pull out the stops to help humanity in these challenging times.
Here are just a few of the latest examples of the industry’s generosity of spirit at work…
Cardigan Cards’ words to the wise
Feeling for the vulnerability of the homeless during the pandemic, Hilda Richardson, co-founder of Stafford-based Cardigan Cards felt compelled to put pen to paper and write a special inspirational poem, entitled ‘Words’ which is now raising money through a JustGiving page (https://www.justgiving.com/Hilda-Richardson?utm_source=Sharethis&utm_medium=fundraisingpage&utm_content=Hilda-Richardson&utm_campaign=pfp-email&utm_term=jyMQ9Xpzk) for homeless charity Shelter, which Hilda and her daughter and business partner, Davinia have long supported.
“I have never in my life seen so many people of all ages sleeping in the streets through absolutely no fault of their own,” says Hilda. “At this critically dangerous time when these vulnerable people would love nothing more than to ‘stay at home and save lives’ financial help and support for them has been drastically reduced. We will beat this virus, but the cost will not only be paid by the tragedy of the many lives that are lost. Many people will lose their jobs, their businesses, their livelihood and their homes.”
As Hilda points out on the JustGiving page she writes: “Homlessness is something that will happen to many more individuals and failies and can happen to any one of us…”
In addition, Hilda and Davinia have also delivered packs of its cards (with bars of chocolate purchased from Shelter’s online shop) to their local hospice (Katherine House Hospice) who care for not only end of life patients but also offer respite care for patients whose full time carers are in need of a short break.
UK Envelope Centre’s 5% donation to NHS Charities Together
While the focus has been on 140,000+ birthday cards Captain Tom received for his 100th birthday yesterday, each one will have arrived in an envelope. Joining the war veteran in his fundraising efforts, leading envelope supplier, UK Envelope Centre, is making a 5% donation to NHS Charities Together for all orders placed and delivered during the month of May 2020 where ‘Captain Tom’ is quoted on the enquiry.
As Joanne Davis, md of the Shipley-based envelope business said: “In addition to the charity donation, what we would really like to do is send out a massive heart felt hug to everyone in these difficult times.”
As she adds: “The greeting card industry has always felt like one big happy family, we all know what a difference it can make when families stay strong and stand side by side in unity, of course taking social distancing into account. We feel confident that, as a family, we can get through this with a much stronger industry at the end of the crisis.”
Pennychoo to raise lots of pennies
“It’s easy to feel helpless just now which got me thinking about what I could do to help in the fight against the Coronavirus,” said Sue Lee, founder of Pennychoo card company. Summing up that her skills are “essentially in drawing and colouring-in” Sue has created a special card featuring a bright, rainbow-themed illustration of NHS workers. She is donating 100% of the profits from the sale of this design with be given to NHS Charities Together. Sue hopes that the card will be bought by people wanting to say thank you to a GP surgery, pharmacies, nurses, porters, cleaners and drivers who are part of the NHS. Via the Pennychoo website (https://pennychoo.com/products/nhs-thank-you-card?_pos=1&_sid=d764d4400&_ss=r), Sue is offering a service to send the card to the recipient.
Paperchase’s heroic action
To celebrate Captain Tom’s birthday yesterday (April 30), Paperchase urged everyone to ‘Be more Tom’. To honour all the work the war veteran has done, the retailer created a bespoke drawing of the great man as a free download that can be coloured in. In addition, on his actual birthday, to champion the heroic work of those on the frontline, anyone working in health and social care, education, the charity sector or are in the armed forces could benefit from a 50% ‘heroes discount’, double the 25% discount it has been (and is again now) offering to this special bunch of people.
Moonpig’s eCard collab with comedians contributes to £200K donation to “The Big Night In Appeal”
Online greeting card operator, Moonpig has donated £200,000 to BBC Children in Need’s and Comic Relief’s joint coronavirus fundraising event.
Joining forces with leading comedians – including Micky Flanagan, Sarah Millican and Tim Vine – and author/illustrator Charlie Mackesy, Moonpig produced 13 eCards featuring the quips and quotes from the UK’s funnymen and women which are pertinent to the current times.
These include:
Micky Flanagan: “When all this being in in is over, we’re not just going out or out out, we are going out out out!!!”
Sarah Millican: “We’re all just wearing our gravy spattered tops another day, yes?“
Tim Vine: “So I went down the local supermarket… I said: “This vinegar’s got lumps in!” He said: Those are pickled onions
Deborah Frances-White (The Guilty Feminist): “I’m a feminist, but the first Thursday after lockdown I believe we will come out and applaud the waxers and threaders”
Katherine Ryan: “Joining Nextdoor was an excellent way to realize that EVERYONE IN MY NEIGHBOURHOOD IS TERRIBLE”
Lou Sanders: “If I don’t come out of this pandemic being able to do a backflip, I’ll have to wonder if ‘just having the time’ was the issue”
Commenting on the initiative, Nickyl Raithatha, ceo of the Moonpig Group said: “At Moonpig, we believe that cards can create a sense of togetherness, even when we’re apart. In such a complicated time, we are honoured to know that we can lend a helping hand in fostering important relationships.”
Up until the end of April, proceeds from the sale of these cards, as well as from Moonpig’s standard eCard range were donated with Moonpig committing to a £200,000 donation as a minimum.
Even before Moonpig had launched the collaboration with celebrity comedians, the online operator had asked designers with whom they work if they would be interested in helping them raise money for this cause.
Among the many who agreed to forgo all their royalties for the month of April on the eCards was Soula Zavacopoulos, founder of The London Studio. Commenting, Soula told PG Buzz: “I really admire Moonpig for raising money for such an amazing cause and getting both designers and celebs on board, it’s been a lot of work and they’ve pulled it together so quickly. I also admire them for not putting strain on the designers that work with them, because when they asked me if I might be willing to donate my royalties and include my cards in the appeal, they made clear that even if I did not to get involved, they were still planning to donate 100% of their ecard profits to the charity and would still be guaranteeing £200K either way, so there was no pressure on their designers to get involved; it was completely voluntary. It is a pleasure to work with a company who have these sorts of ethics and I’m hoping to work with them on another charity collaboration soon.”
Top: Moonpig has donated £200k to The Big Night In Appeal and created a special collection of eCards featuring quips from leading comedians.
