A lockdown ‘let’s cheer ourselves up’ project, featuring two mini glass rainbows, has seen Ann Maitland, founder of Dragonfly Dichroic, win The Giftware Association’s first Gifts of Hope competition.
The rainbows were designed and made by Ann to help raise money for a local care home, Strathcarron, as well as to support the UK during the ongoing health crisis. Visit www.dragonflydichroic.com
“We are extremely happy to have a winner from what has been a competition born out of a crisis,” comments The Giftware Association’s ceo Sarah Ward. “During the first months of Covid-19 we were seeing so many great products that gave back, so we are happy that it’s gone to such a beautiful product, with a touching back story, though all the products that were entered are to be celebrated.”
Explaining the inspiration behind the award winning mini glass rainbows, Ann explains: “My 15 year old and I were both starting to struggle with lockdown so we came up with a ‘let’s cheer ourselves up’ project. We took the scraps of glass left from making the larger rainbows I’d launched in September, and made sets of two for friends and relatives, which we posted or delivered by hand.” She continued: “We gave about 100 away, but so many people got in touch asking for them that we decided to make some to sell while donating 25% of retail sales to Strathcarron and, so far, have donated enough money to run the hospice for 48 hours.”
The competition, which ran throughout June, highlighted the great work giftware suppliers were doing during the health crisis, whether that was raising money for charities, key workers or care homes, or giving back to community with profits from their products and ranges. Twenty per cent of each entry fee went to a charity of the entrant’s choosing. So far, the GA has given money to 12 different charities including NHS Charities Together, Mind and St Johns Ambulance.
The entrants will be included in the main Gift of the Year awards, held at Spring Fair 2021, with Dragonfly Dichroic receiving a special trophy and a place in the coveted winner’s brochure.
The 2021 Gift of the Year competition will be announced later this month, with the GA confirming that there will be a few key changes.
Top: The Gift of Hope award winning Dragon Dichroic mini glass rainbows.
