As the Brothers Trust embarks on its 4th year, things are very different now with Covid becoming a new word for everyone to wrestle with. Our live events to attend premieres and set visits seem a distant memory and still remain a long way off. Like many individuals and organisations we have needed to make changes to how we operate and what we are able to accomplish.
Online activities and events have been heavily relied upon with our jig-saw wars and quizzes and now our growing arm of merchandise also.
But something worth discussing is the unexpected but very welcome upside of our Trust which is the strong sense of community that has developed amongst our supporters. This is something we are keen to foster and we must not lose sight of.
Across our Instagram, twitter and our website is a distinct feeling of involvement and inclusion which is all very positive and particularly so during this pandemic when anxieties are hieghtened and other common mental frailties are likely to be exposed.
Obviously, our Trust was founded to raise funds and make grants to worthy causes. But as we have discovered, this is not the only positive outcome that we can effect and why we are delighted that our forthcoming merchendise initiatives will foster this sense of community…
The Brothers Trust Mug…
Designed by Jessica Murray @jmurhop
…is coming very soon. Our beautiful China mugs are being manufactured now in Staffordshire, England. The same county from where Tessa’s ancestors hail!
It was great fun running a competition for the design of the mug. With over 1000 entries and from 26 different countries, choosing our winner was not easy. By entering our competition you directly contributed to the energy and vibrant atmosphere of our trust, so thank you. And in due course, people will be able to enjoy their favourite tea, coffee or coco from mugs that will directly help fund essential research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy via the efforts of Alex’s Wish
The Brothers Trust Jigsaw Puzzle
It is no secret how therapeutic puzzles are to complete. A wonderful communal activity, clicking pieces in to place and enjoying seeing the image emerge. All ages, young and old and with no language barriers either, puzzles are a great unifier. And even for people completing a puzzle alone, a hashtag for Instagram can create a place for our puzzlers to occupy and share with each other.
Hanging in our lounge is the “Cans of Drink” puzzle that was completed by almost the entire cast and crew of The Impossible in Thailand. We know full well how cathartic puzzles are and why we are excited about our forthcoming Bros Trust puzzle.
They are set to be very special, not least because of Wentworth Puzzles, a brand we discovered over Christmas. Unique puzzles in solid wood, these beautiful puzzles are fiendishly clever and super cool. Our puzzle will have 250 pieces and will include what Wentworth refers to as whimsy pieces. These are especially shaped pieces unique to each puzzle - in the case of the Rockefeller Centre which we have just completed is the outline of a little girl – shown here in the short video accompanying this post.
We are in the process of settling on the art work for our puzzle and also our own Bros Trust whimsy pieces. Outlines of the four brothers perhaps? Tessa, a chef’s hat, camera, golf clubs... The possibilities are endless and so are the opportunities for people across the world to become involved.
Open Links
Book clubs are a modern day phenomenon and why the novel Open Links sits very comfortably in our shop as something which can harbour a community feel. In buying and reading the book is a bonding process. And by leaving reviews on our website and discussing Ricky’s amazing round will encourage other readers to join in also. With all proceeds going to the Anthony Nolan Trust – a charity giving a chance of life to people worldwide afflicted with blood cancer. Every three copies sold paying for a new bone marrow donor to be added to their register. By buying this book, you are part of this process and someone, somewhere with blood cancer will be given the chance of life.
For our trust, the big fund raising activities will always be the live events with Tom and his brothers. But in the meantime, our merchandise initiatives have great outcomes also. Of course, for the charities who will benefit directly (Alex’s Wish) but also for our supporters who engage with us and with each other. The effort of our supporters and our sense of community is vital for the success of the Trust and enables us to continuing to help people most in need.
Thank you all very much.