Young entrepreneur gets creative to raise funds for animal charities
Keira Mayhew, who attends Sixth Form at Shrewsbury High School, has set up a small gift business to support a local animal rescue charity.
Keira volunteers for Rainbow Rescue Telford as part of her Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, and had the idea to make keyrings, coasters and small decorations on her 3D printer to sell at local craft fairs. She has volunteered for the charity for a number of years, and whilst the rescue centre is relocating and only able to take on emergency cases, she had the fundraising idea to make gifts to sell to support them and other local rescue centres.
The student has set up a Facebook page - Rainbow Gifts Telford, and her first charity craft stall and tombola raised enough funds to buy cat food for Creature Comforts Rescue Centre in Powys. She hopes to now raise funds for Jelly Exotics, a small family run rescue in Telford that take in exotic animals, such as snakes and geckos.
Keira made herself a business plan and worked out all her costs and outgoings, with all profit made going to help animals in need in Shropshire and Mid Wales, and is always collecting tombola prizes and spare crafting items to use to make items to sell.
If you would like to help, please get in touch via Keira's Facebook page.
By Fiona Hotchkiss - Contributor