What one humble Craftivist can achieve :) #imapiece

10 Jun What one humble Craftivist can achieve :) #imapiece

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I received an email this morning from the wonderful craftivist Anne Clark of Angel Eden. Anna has been incredibly proactive and productive for our #imapiece Craftivist Jigsaw project  supporting the IF campaign through Save the Children over the last few months & when I saw her at a conference recently it was great to see her wear her homemade #imapiece jigsaw brooch with pride 🙂 This email really reminded me about the power craftivism can have on the individual maker (to dedicate over 30 hours to an issue!) as well as people who engage with the pieces. This quiet, slow & creative activism approach sometimes can have deeper impact than loud traditional forms of activism. Anne has kindly let me share her email with you (she would never blow her own trumpet!) as I’m sure it will inspire you as much as it has me. In the words of the humble Craftivist Anne Clark:

I thought you might like to see a few photos from the East Midlands Hunger Summit. I had to make some white banners and tack the jigsaw pieces onto them, to be able to display in the cathedral. In all it took me about 30 hours to complete but I was really pleased with how it looked on the day.

 I also put a small display in an old suitcase to show how they were made and some of your Race Against Hunger postcards.

I put the banners up on the morning of the summit and apparently both the Bishop and Dean had had a good look at them and were impressed with the work people had done. Many people at the Cathedral said thank you to me for bringing the pieces along and were quite moved I think by the amount of work both adults and children had put into making the pieces.

I had made 12 smaller pieces of puzzle which I gave to some of the speakers and important people who attended the conference. 

Speakers on the day included the Rt Rev’d any good online pharmacy Alastair Redfern, Bishop of Derby; (below): 

MPs included The Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP, former Secretary of State for International Development (below). Andrew Mitchell at first thought I was just showing it to him and asked if he should give it back but seemed pleased that it was a gift.

& Mrs Pauline Latham OBE MP (below)

Barry Johnson Senior UK Political Adviser at Christian Aid (below with Anne on right)and Fiona Twycross  (below with Anne Clark on right) London Assembly Member, (who says her job is to challenge Boris!). When I gave Fiona Twycross hers she was so pleased she asked my husband to take a picture with her phone and she tweeted it on the way home. 

Here are a couple of gentlemen from Islamic Relief. Firstly  Jehangir Malik OBE the Director of Islamic Relief and Salim Yusuf Lorgat East Midlands Area Manager. The gentlemen from the Islamic Relief were very enthusiastic and when we suggested to them they could use it as a mat for putting a drink on they said no they were going to frame them and were very appreciative for having been given one.

 I was also able to give one to the Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, the owner of Pak Foods who supplied the refreshments and  local clergy.

So if you ever think that one craftivist can’t make a difference don’t forget what Ann has achieved in her spare time (when she isn’t looking after her grandchildren or making jewellery! Anne’s story reminds me of a great quote by Anita Roddick  

If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito.