It started as a labour of love, based on a simple idea that making gifts for people when they are at their lowest was a great way to show them that somebody cares. We have grown a little, but our aim remains the same... to soothe broken hearts with unexpected, small, beautiful acts of kindness… to quietly offer support to those living with loss.
We know that people care, but we also know that they are busy. We’re also aware that people are concerned that money they give in good faith actually benefits those in need. My Blackbirds represents an opportunity to support a small, transparent system that shows you exactly where all of your money goes. It is also an opportunity to support a number of small charities and organisations throughout the course of a year who work with the bereaved.
Artists brought in to spend one-on-one creative time with those close to death, creating artwork the family can cherish when they pass.
Encouraging small start-up support groups for issues such as suicide bereavement, infant loss and still birth by assisting them with facility rent, meeting supplies, and printed materials.
The purchase of soft furnishings, toiletry kits, and other easily forgotten “non-essentials” to hospices and hospital wards that deal with the bereaved, to make their environment feel less sterile and impersonal.
Funding small private art workshops, fitness activities, and family activities for family units suffering through a massive loss - such as a sibling death or a suicide.
When people ask me how this whole thing started, I never know where to begin. They probably don’t want to be told a story, but I think the story is an integral part of what I do. So for those who would like to know the whole story of how this project started, hello. I'm Sara - and this is the story of My Blackbirds.
