1500 Donated Wellbeing Packs head out to children in poverty

Boston Food Bank receiving their donated packs

Gainsborough social enterprise Think2Speak has teamed up with celebrated artist Rebecca Strickson to create the Conversation Colouring Book – and we’re giving thousands free to locked-down families in need.

The A4-sized, 28-page colouring books are filled with colouring, mindfulness exercises and postcards to cut out, all designed to encourage families to have important conversations and spend quality time together at this fraught time.

Think2Speak works with families to help children and vulnerable people people participate better in society and provides training to institutions to make sure everyone’s wellbeing is top of the agenda.

The inside cover of the Conversation Colouring Book, suitable for kids aged five and older, features a pull-out A3 colour ‘Thank You’ poster that can be put in windows. They’re being sold using a buy-one-give-one model – meaning for every book bought, another will go to a child living in poverty for free.

Lizzie Jordan, Think2Speak founder and CEO, said: “The idea for the books came about from the work we’re doing with one of the foodbanks in Gainsborough where we’re providing emotional support to people who are isolating and experiencing food poverty. Lots of the families were telling us they needed things for their children to do, but that they didn’t have access to printers to print things off. These colouring books are the ideal solution and have been beautifully created.”

The colouring book was thought up, written, designed and sent to print in just ten days as part of the social enterprise’s rapid response to the Covid-19 crisis. The books are priced at £6.95. When free books make their way to a school or foodbank for a kids in need, they’re sent with crayons to go with the book and its activities.

Lizzie said the support has been “phenomenal” with 1,500 packs set to go out across the country in the coming days. Donations have come from all over including from Conservative Lincolnshire councillor Clio Lyndon Perraton-Williams who gifted 190 of the book packs to children who receive free school meals in her area.

Massive thank you to the following organisations for also supporting the project:

• Lincolnshire Community Foundation

• National Emergencies Trust

• Rotary Club Gainsborough

• West Lindsey District Council

• Lincolnshire County Council