Budding entrepreneur, 11-year-old Isla has raised £1,000 for childhood bereavement charity Winston’s Wish by designing and selling pin badges featuring the different emotions bereaved children might feel. Isla’s mum died from cancer in October 2020 and she wanted to do something to help other children grieving for a parent. Isla and her dad, Dave, tell us more about how she created the pin badges and why she chose to support Winston’s Wish:
Tell us about Isla’s pin badges
Isla wanted to do something to keep herself busy and to help other children going through what she did. She wanted something affordable but visible so decided on a pin badge which she is selling on Etsy with a donation from every sale going to Winston’s Wish. Isla’s auntie has her own business making and selling similar things so she helped guide Isla through it.
The badge is in the shape of a lightning bolt and has a whole range of emoji faces on it representing all the feelings you have after losing a parent… from devastated to sometimes happy and everything in between.
“When I lost my mum in 2020 I wanted to do something to cheer up other children who need a pick-me-up,” said 11-year-old Isla. “Pictured on the badge are all the emotions you might feel day to day… and they are all ok!”
Why did Isla decide to support Winston’s Wish?
A lot of the support that we got before, during and after my wife Amy’s death came from Winston’s Wish. Not long after Amy had been diagnosed with cancer I went out into the hospital car park and called the Winston’s Wish Helpline. The person who answered was a total saviour. She helped me order my thoughts and gave me a plan about how to speak to the kids. Later they also helped with telling them that their mum was not going to get better. We had lots of books and resources in the post too.
So, Winston’s Wish seemed like a perfect choice given the help we got from the charity and the thinking behind the badges – Isla wanting to help other children who have lost their mum or dad.
How have sales been going?
Since we launched the pin badges in February, we have sold 550 pin badges! Isla is donating £1.50 from every badge to Winston’s Wish and she’s sold so many badges (along with other donations) that she has raised £1,000 for the charity already!
Isla has really enjoyed hearing from children in similar situations to her. She has also enjoyed having a positive distraction to keep her a bit busier too. She is keen now to perhaps design a card for people who want to send something to a child who has lost a parent.
You can buy Isla’s pin badge via Etsy.