FIVE-year old April Sawyer has made it her mission to put a smile on people’s faces and raise money for Melksham Foodbank with her ‘positive posters’.
After learning she was too young to volunteer for the local foodbank, April decided instead to start selling handmade posters with a message of positivity to raise money for the charity.
So far, April has raised over £630.
April’s mother, Sophie Sawyer, told Melksham News, “She has been doing home-schooling and struggling with not being able to see people. It recently was mental health week and at home-schooling we were learning how to be kind to people and how it will make people happy. So she thought about making posters with positive quotes to bring smiles to everyone’s faces.
“She then said to me let’s sell them and make money for the foodbank.
“We have been overwhelmed by the response from everyone and the smile it has brought to my daughter’s face and many people around has been amazing at this hard time.”
Manger of Melksham Foodbank, Kay said, “We are very grateful to April for all her hard work in making and selling the positive posters in aid of Melksham Foodbank.
“The money raised will go a long way to help the families we are supporting. April and her mum and dad visited us at the foodbank and she gave me some of the ‘positive posters’ she had made – I have put them up so clients can see them when they come to collect their food parcels.”
April’s work has caught the attention of local care home, Blenheim House, who have donated £50 worth of art materials to support her efforts.
And April’s posters have been shared with residents and staff at Blenheim, and can be found on all noticeboards throughout the home.
Phyllis Kofoed, resident of Blenheim House said, “Oh April! What a beautiful and thoughtful thing to do, I think your poster will spread lots of happiness to us all!”
Another Blenheim resident, Peter Sutton added, “I am very impressed that, at such a young age, April shows consideration of people in her community. She has a great talent and I hope she loves using the art materials that we have donated.”
An online fundraising page has been created by Blenheim House to help support April’s fundraising. To make a donation, visit the website: www.gofundme.com/f/help-aprils-food-bank-fund-raiser
For more information about April’s foodbank fundraiser, and to offer any help, please email April’s mother, Sophie Sawyer: sophie.hellyer@icloud
