Cards for Carers launched, all profits go to charity

By John Freeman on May 6, 2020

Pennychoo’s Sue Lee's "Card for Carers" — *Pennychoo’s Sue Lee’s “Card for Carers”*

It’s easy to feel helpless and frustrated while the Coronavirus Pandemic rages around us, so Pennychoo’s Sue Lee started thinking about what she could possibly do to help.

She eventually decided that the only things she could offer were her creative skills and having seen the building wave of gratitude for NHS staff, Sue decided to design a thank you card specifically for them.

The result is a cheery, rainbow-coloured card featuring a sample of the huge array of staff that make up the NHS – all ages and nationalities.

“The NHS and care homes rely on people from all over the world and it was important that my illustration showed that,” says Sue. And if you’re stuck for what to say, the message inside reads ‘… for everything you’re doing in the fight against Coronavirus. Your hard work and bravery will never be forgotten. Thank You!’

But where to send them? Some will no doubt want to say thanks to specific staff who’ve helped them through illness but thankfully, most people won’t have been in hospital, so Sue’s idea is this.

“Pick a hospital and send it to the ICU department – or the cleaners, or kitchen staff or the people on the front desk. How about a local GP surgery or pharmacy, or paramedics, or staff in a local care home? Every single person who keeps working is risking their life for us – they’re all heroes so let’s tell them.”

The cards costs £2.50 with 100% of profits going to NHS charities. There’s also the option for self-isolating buyers to include the price of a first class stamp and Sue will write and post the card on their behalf.

Whichever option people choose, though, this is a card that can only do some good and hopefully bring a smile to some exhausted faces.

Pennychoo is a small, independent studio situated in the rugged foothills of south west London that’s been producing vintage-inspired greetings cards (and now, stationery, prints and tea towels) since 2010.

The brainchild of graphic designer and illustrator Sue Lee, who says she’s always liked stuff from the 1920s to the 1960s – design, music, architecture – so she started wondering if she could translate all this old stuff she loves into something new that other people might like too. And so Pennychoo was born.

• Check out Cards for Carers and other items from Pennychoo at pennychoo.com

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.