Rainbow Makers Charity Auction
Since starting After The Storm on Instagram in July last year, I’ve had the pleasure of (virtually) meeting some of the most creative and supportive people. While each of our accounts and small businesses are different, we share a love of creating beautiful things. I wasn’t sure what would happen when I put out a request to see if anyone would be willing to donate to a charity auction back in April but here we are, a little under a month away from the Rainbow Makers Charity Auction and 58 of these creative people have donated upwards of 70 rainbow themed items to the cause and everything looks beautiful.
Each maker has donated because they are generous individuals who want to support a wonderful cause. Some have also been touched by baby loss, either personally or through someone they know and love. In talking with these individuals I’ve come to realise that the act of making something to donate has been more than one of generosity. Those individuals have created something tangible to give voice to their own losses and honour those that have been lost. It has been inspiring and incredibly special to be working with all of these people toward our shared goal, and we hope that you enjoy browsing the items on offer when the catalogue opens in October and bidding once the auction begins during BLAW2020.
We’re making rainbows because an estimated 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage, and around 1 in 100 women in the UK experience recurrent miscarriage (defined as three more consecutive losses). These losses are heartbreaking and sadly the causes are rarely discovered by current testing. Tommy’s fund and conduct pioneering research into the causes and prevention of baby loss and provide expert care and information to help make pregnancy safer for everyone. We’re also making rainbows to try and break the silence that pervades around miscarriage, stillbirth and termination for medical reasons. While not everyone wishes to openly share their losses, we believe that breaking the silence surrounding them is an important step in helping those that do wish to share – but feel they cannot – feel more comfortable doing so.
The Rainbow Makers Charity Auction will take place on Instagram @rainbow_makers_charity_auction during Baby Loss Awareness Week 2020 (9th-15th October). Please follow our Instagram page to take part in bidding. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Tommy’s (registered charity, no 1060508 and SCO39280).
If you’d like to donate to our cause without taking part in the auction, you can do so here.
Any donation, share or like of posts relating to the auction will be hugely appreciated as they will increase the visibility of the event.
Thank you for your support,
Jane x