Craft Focus - October/November 2020 (Issue 81)

41 PROFILE trend towards cocooning will give our sector a push. For example, I anticipate that Germans will emulate Americans and start decorating their houses much earlier this year, both outside and in. This will certainly change.” In particular, there will be a greater focus on outdoor decorations this year – all were agreed about this. “I also think that next Christmas will be celebrated in a more creative, intimate and personal way. This could include, for example, homemade decorations, old recycled decorations, or a Christmas tree made from clay. It’s our task to give retailers and end consumers inspiration for atmospheric decorations that fit perfectly with the spirit of today. There’s no need for everything to be completely new, just newly combined and complemented with small details. Just as with cooking, when fine spices make all the difference”, as Pascal Koeleman, Co-founder, 2dezign, validates. You work closely with Home-Start UK. How did this relationship begin? We were introduced to Home-Start when Kirstie Allsopp asked Tom to design a Christmas card for them in 2019. Being parents with a young family, the charity really amazed us on many levels. The support they provide for young families is vital. How are you currently supporting the charity? We were asked during the first weeks of lockdown if we would appear with Kirstie on YouTube to be a part of Home-Start’s National Emergency appeal. We of course jumped at the chance. Sadly, Home-Start has been very badly affected financially with Covid and lockdown – with less people donating due to job uncertainty and redundancies. After we heard this news, we said that we’d donate £1 from every one of our Christmas stencil sales this festive season. How would you advise a retailer who is interested in stocking your products? Anyone interested in stocking our products should contact us via our email or phone. We’ll always be happy to answer any questions. Any retailer ordering our stencils will be given an free set to decorate their own shop windows, we feel this gives the retailer a real understanding of the product and makes their windows stand out from the rest of the shops giving the shop a real talking point in their local community. What can we look forward to in the future? We created some set designs in January for filming a major Crafting Christmas themed show (hint hint, I can say no more), we’re working on some special projects with Home-Start that will hopefully be for all to see, we also already have lots of interest for Tom to appear on many popular TV shows this festive season – so watch this space! Tom’s also working on tutorials for our YouTube page teaching all ages and skills how to create things like trees and lampposts. +44 (0)1344 530 616 keri@snowwindows.com www.snowwindows.com HOME-START UK DURING COVID-19 By Anita Frith head of corporate & fundraising development Home-Start is a local community network of trained volunteers and expert support helping families with young children through their challenging times. We have been helping families in communities across the UK for almost 50 years. We’re seeing social distancing and isolation placing enormous strain on families. Families with particular pressures such as poor mental health, illness and low wages are being hit hard by the crisis. Home-Starts across the country have moved fast to provide support for these and other families affected. We’ve moved essential support services online to stay connected with families. Our network of 1,000 locally based staff and 13,000 volunteers is playing an important part in local community response efforts across the UK – delivering essential supplies and linking families into local resources such as Foodbanks, meals, and public health services. The next few months are going to change our communities for years to come. As we emerge from the current crisis, Home-Start volunteers will play a key part in helping to rebuild communities affected by the pandemic, supporting anxious parents who are going out and meeting other new parents for the first time. They will be helping them to develop the friendships and connections again that they will need as their children grow up. At a time when so many families are feeling alone, the power of human contact and connection; the compassionate, confidential support that Home-Start volunteers offer is essential. We’re so grateful for the incredible support from Tom and Keri from Snow Windows. Without support like theirs, we couldn’t continue our vital work transforming the lives of over 27,000 families and 56,000 children across the UK. Unfortunately, like many other charities, one of our biggest challenges will be securing the income we need to continue this vital work.  Local Home- Starts are on the frontline of support, yet are already facing substantial financial difficulties. We need help. Please help us make a difference by donating whatever you can. Every penny helps. https://www.home-start.org.uk/donate/ help-keep-families-connected/25