Fundraising

I've mentioned before that I've had some success in past years selling greetings cards made from my photos, to raise money for various good causes. So when my church, St Peter's Shipley, mounted a fundraising drive to pay for much needed repairs to the roof of the church hall, I decided this was another appeal that I could help with. We are blessed with extensive halls that, together with the church itself, provide meeting spaces for a plethora of groups and activities for the local community - from the WI to choirs, seniors' groups, children's groups, scouts, guides and even blood donors. The halls are showing their age though, and it doesn't do to let buildings deteriorate too far before taking remedial action. They've been patched up a lot over the years. Now is the time for some radical repairs but that doesn't come cheap. 

There's a really good little local printing business - The Dandy Arthouse - that used to be based in Saltaire and has now moved to larger premises in Bingley. They produce beautiful, high quality cards on lovely paper and with bright coloured envelopes colour-matched to the image. I love their 14 cm square cards, and although I don't intentionally take square images, I find a lot of my photos can be cropped to these dimensions quite happily.

So I've made up four different sets of four cards, selling at £6 per set. It's a win-win really: people get a lovely and useful product, no more expensive than in the shops; the fund-raising gets a good boost; and I'm pleased to use my hobby in a good cause. (Photography can sometimes be a rather self-focused pursuit.) I will see how these sell. I am hopeful to offload the first print run and perhaps even order more. I'm certainly very pleased with the finished products (even if I am a little biased!)