Tia Leppard has donated 50 hand creams to staff on our inpatient unit and 10 fleecy blankets to keep patients cosy. She had a novel idea to support Martlets and a great response from family, friends and the local community. She tells us all about her fundraiser.
Tia Leppard works in a care home and has a 16-month old daughter. Yet she also finds time to run a home-based business as a Body Shop consultant.
“I don’t have a big client base for my home business, but it gave me an idea,” says Tia. “My friend Tracy works on Martlets’ inpatient unit (IPU) and always says what a rewarding place it is to work. We’d had some little gifts donated at my care home and it was quite uplifting for staff to receive them. I thought I’d like to do the same for Tracy and the Martlets’ team; to give them something as a small thank you for their hard work for the community during COVID–19.”
Generous Body Shop customers
Tia asked customers if they’d be willing to buy a hand cream with their Body Shop purchase. Then she could donate them to Martlets’ staff on the IPU. She also decided to kindly donate any commission from her sales.
“I thought that as the staff were frequently washing their hands, they might appreciate some hand creams,” Tia adds. “So I asked my family and friends and everyone who buys products from me if they wanted to help out. I also asked on my online community page if anyone wanted to support me. I had several people who said ‘yes’, as Martlets had touched their lives and they’d had relatives in the Hospice.”
Tia managed to sell 50 tubes of hand cream. She also made £50 in commission which she spent on 10 fleecy lap blankets for our inpatients.
“I don’t have a big customer base so to get to 50 was a big deal for me,” she says. “Some people donated more than one which was kind. I liked the idea of turning the money into something practical and I enjoyed shopping for the blankets. I chose one blanket with a cat on, another with a dog on and some plain, neutral colours too. I thought they’d be a bit cheery for patients and they’re cosy and lightweight.”
Tracy is planning to add the hand creams to gift bags to give out on a ‘staff appreciation day’ soon. Meanwhile, patients on the IPU are enjoying snuggling up under the new blankets.
“It’s the first time I’ve done a fundraiser of any sort,” Tia adds. “And I think with Christmas coming up it would be nice to do another – perhaps some shower gel gifts sets for patients!”