A local jewellery designer in Droitwich has created a non-profit range of inscribed bracelets to raise £25,000 for NHS Charities Together.
Alison Hargreaves, owner of Bracelets Together launched the online initiative during the second week of May after coming across the Covid-19 Urgent Appeal campaign. Supporters can choose from 16 unisex bracelets in honour of NHS heroes, care and key workers and children can have their own too.
Within the first week of the nationwide launch, Bracelets Together has raised more than £2,000 for NHS Charities Together and is continuing to thrive day to day. Additional voluntary support has come from far and wide using Alison’s LinkedIn contacts via her primary business Tribal Steel. After discussing with Hayley Giles from Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce it was agreed to put a calling out for various digital and business specialists. The positions advertised were for graphic designers, photographers, social media experts, web designers and PR support while on furlough has really driven the brands awareness and achieved so much in such little time.
A project like this has really seen businesses from across the Midlands come together virtually and create something quite special within such a short amount of time.
Alison Hargreaves, director of Bracelets Together said:
“I felt uneasy doing nothing, I had planned to volunteer to help the NHS by driving patients however I then came across the NHSCT Covid-19 Urgent Appeal launch with a target of £100m. This is where I had to think of what I could do to raise vital funds.
“I wanted to create a range of non-profit bracelets to raise money that could be a tangible symbol of support, I imagined a little wave of them as they sold around the country. These bracelets come with messages of support for all frontline workers and show an expression of gratitude towards the NHS, care and key workers. We are all aware they are working long, hot uncomfortable shifts, often in very threatening and unpleasant circumstances and without even a nod to previous ‘health & safety’ conventions. These are selfless people and they are doing it to protect us.”
Support to raise awareness of this has spread across social media and has received backing from Ben Feltwell, website designer and developer at Baldur Digital.
Ben said: “In this current situation I think we are all trying to find ways to stay productive and support one another however we can. When I saw on LinkedIn that a local business was planning on setting up a fundraiser and needed some help with a new website it seemed like an opportunity we could really support and get behind. After a few short days (and long nights) we were able to launch this new fundraising brand and ecommerce website, Bracelets Together. Despite being a joint effort across multiple companies all working remotely, the team pulled together and now the store is up and running, taking orders, and raising money for the appeal. This type of business community is so important and goes to show that several strangers can come together in a crisis and do something good.”
Bracelets Together is encouraging those with a bracelet to share their videos or images on social media by using #BraceletsTogether.
Bracelets Together is a non-profit website and for those wanting to support the cause and help tackle the Covid-19 crisis can purchase bracelets for loved ones online. To find out more about Bracelets Together, please visit www.braceletstogether.org.uk.