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Suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) has joined forces with creative company The Or to show the love to the nation’s dads this Father’s Day, rather than taking the piss.
The project has seen The Or enlist an array of artists to redesign generic Father’s Day cards by bringing new positive messaging to the forefront.
So, on Sunday June 16, instead of sending cards with pictures of a pint of beer or messages like “Happy Father’s Day You Old Twat”, the initiative aims to encourage a loving and positive narrative to express emotions to our father figures.
Over 30 artists have contributed work to the project, including Marylou Faure, Hattie Stewart and Oli Fowler, with each providing a description of their card, with many using this opportunity to describe their gratitude and love towards their own dads.
Each design will be up for online auction, starting this week, via The Auction Collective. The public can bid for their favourite artwork and receive the card in time for Father’s Day, with all proceeds going to CALM.
Every card is a one-of-a-kind design, signed by the artist. The auction will run until June 5, with bidding opening at £25.
CALM chief executive Simon Gunning said, “I’m a dad to two fantastic kids and I tell them I love them every single day – and they say it right back.
“We have come such a long way in breaking down stereotypes around masculinity and what it means to be a man and a father, but there’s still so much work to be done, especially when you consider that 75% of all suicides are male.
“This brilliant partnership speaks volumes to that need, showing that dads deserve to be shown love, support, and care on Father’s Day as much as mums do on Mother’s Day, and it will hopefully help us to raise vital funds to continue the lifesaving work that we’re doing.”
The Or executive creative director Charlene Chandrasekaran added: “Mother’s Day card designs are always thoughtful and heartfelt. [Traditional cards] don’t quite have that same level of warmth. The Father’s Day Redesign is here to shine a light on how we communicate with our father figures, reframing the narrative with positivity and openness. We’re thrilled to partner with CALM on this project, as well as an array of exceptional artistic talent.”
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