Back in 2018 I made a charity calendar dedicated to and supported by the lovely Welsh coastal town of Aberystwyth, Ceredigion. Now, two years later I went and did it again. How did things go this time around?
The first time you ever do anything is almost always the hardest. When I made the original calendar there was certainly an uphill learning battle, but ultimately lead to a much smoother experience this time around.
Having invested in a brand new DSLR last summer I had a wide range of images to choose from this year, but having to select only 12 was no easy task.
The design of the actual calendar went a lot smoother this time too, As I had already created most of the assets and templates I needed the previous year. This was also my first big scale opportunity to showcase my new corporate design, having very recently completed a very large rebrand all off my own back. It was quite a thrill to see people
Approaching local businesses for sponsorship was still pretty daunting to start with but I soon got back into the flow, even if I was - for all intents and purposes - a door to door salesperson. In my conquest I visited practically every commercial establishment in town, as well as tapping into the local freelancing scene. It's a miracle what a little confidence and a LOT of persistence can do. I filled all the sponsorship slots in only two weeks! Which was a good thing because on top of this calendar project, I had several big design commissions on the go (including, would you believe it, a DIFFERENT calendar), was putting the finishing touches on my brand redesign AND I was in the process of moving house. By the time Christmas came around that year I was ready to collapse in a heap at the doorstep of my families' home and remained virtually comatose until after New Years.
Following a successful launch night, hosted yet again by the spectacular Castle Hotel & Bar I took the calendar on the road. Attending as many local craft fairs as I could. The calendar was also sold in various sponsor's shops around the town.
Charitable proceeds from this year's calendar went to HAHAV - Hospice at Home Active Volunteers; A local charity that supports people living with life limiting illnesses across Ceredigion. As with last time, this charity supports a cause very close to my heart, It seemed only appropriate for this calendar to support a cause that the inspiration behind the original calendar, who while unfortunately no longer with us, would have certainly approved of.
To date, the calendar has raised over £300 for HAHAV
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