Birds and Boobs is a range of apparel created in partnership with Breast Cancer UK, the UK’s leading breast cancer prevention charity. I'm really excited about the launch of the range, and the potential to help start more conversations about breast cancer. It has been fantastic to be able to work with the team at Breast Cancer UK to help develop the strategy and design behind Birds and Boobs — as a creative passionate about using my skills for good this has been a dream project.
We started this process with plenty of conversations to enable me to get the best possible understanding of the organisation and the project — the aims, messages, key audience, etc. Speaking to a senior breast care nurse and friends who were going through treatment in addition to wider research was invaluable, and helped drive the strategy and tone of voice for Birds and Boobs. One of the most useful chats was actually with a friend who wouldn't be interested in wearing a t-shirt or any apparel which tries to start conversations about breast cancer — for her this is a really tough time in her life which she and her family are dealing with, she doesn't want to 'own' it, she wants to quietly get through it and then move on. And that's completely understandable. No one knows how they would deal with a cancer diagnosis, and it's not something I've had to face, so it was great to hear lots of different opinions. This led to the strategy of having a separate brand for the apparel range, to appeal to the audience who would engage with this without alienating others from the aims and ethos of the charity itself.
The Birds and Boobs apparel designs feature two birds — the Great Tit and the Great Horned Owl. These have been chosen for their playful nicknames (Tits and Hooters), the positivity of their common adjective (Great), and their symbolic meanings. Great Tits are known for their unique personalities, their strength, the boldness and for being sociable. They are also thought of as healing according to Welsh mythology, and believed to bring good luck and happiness in Estonian folklore. Great Horned Owls are also known for their strength, ferocity, courage and beauty, and according to Indian mythology, symbolise good luck and love. These attributes fit with our target audience of strong, fierce, brave, beautiful, empowered individuals, who together could join the Birds and Boobs flock.
The logo mark was inspired by the Great Horned Owl, but also depicts breasts and a flying bird, symbolising pride and freedom. The brand typeface has been chosen with strength, inclusivity and unity in mind. Bayard was developed by the foundry Vocal Type, who advocate for greater compassion and equality in the design industry. The typeface itself was inspired by the 1963 Washington March for Jobs and Freedom, and has since been used as part of Women Now, a powerful exhibition in Melbourne, and in the Atavist magazine, showcasing the stories of black mothers. The protest nature of the typeface was also a good fit for the No EDCs design (or Endochrine Disrupting Chemicals — which have links to breast cancer and other health problems).
Alongside the digital versions of the t-shirt featuring the logo marks and protest t-shirt, we felt that a couple of handmade designs would be a good edition. These have been drypoint etched by myself and printed using traditional presses.
It has been a joy to be involved in this project, and I look forward to helping Breast Cancer UK grow the Birds and Boobs brand in the months and years to come. I hope that the range will open up more conversations about breast health and allow lives to be saved as a result.
You can buy the range here, and click here for a testimonial.
Design of 'Fair Education in 2024: Priorities for a New Government', an incredibly important report from the Fair Education Alliance.
The FEA are a collection of over 280 members, all committed to reducing the attainment gap in children and young people living in poverty and from low income households.
What started as a manifesto being delivered to all political parties for their conferences changed overnight when the General Election was called — instead it outlined the stark realities facing the poorest children in the UK and recommended the four key priorities a new government should address to help close the widening gap in attainment.
Using infographics to highlight key issues and recommendations, and photographic styles and a visual language highlighting the disparities and their effects, the document has been well-received across multiple sectors, communicating the essential priorities for education.
According to the FEA, ‘The report was widely praised for its practical recommendations and opportunities for collaboration between our members and government. So far, there has been increased interest in the problems and the our recommendations. We saw over double the number of reposts and reactions compared to our 2023 Fair Education Manifesto launch, and a 73% month-on-month increase in website page views. Readers praised the report as “significant”, “clear and inclusive” and “on point”.’
Design of a digital newsletter for the UK for UNHCR, the British refugee arm of the United Nations. The visual identity represented human connections, with fingerprints coming together to make a heart and the background texture could be seen as fingerprints or contour lines, both of which can represent identity.
This newsletter showcases the incredible work of the UK for UNHCR’s Storyteller programme, which gives voices to refugees in the UK who have come to Britain from all over the world. This issue features some fantastic photography from Pattie Boyd. Published twice a year, the UK for Refugees newsletter is a platform for forcibly displaced people to tell their stories — Najeem from Afghanistan sums up the vision perfectly: ‘Each refugee has a unique story to share, and taking the time to sit with us and listen will help you understand why empathy and support for refugees are vital.’ The newsletter was promoted on their website and also on socials.
This was such a great project to be involved with, looking forward to working on the next one in a few months! Click here to see the full newsletter and click here for a client testimonial.
Branding and assets for a biannual arts festival for young people in Oxfordshire in 2023. The branding was designed to feel fun and inclusive, while the colour palette and iconography enabled users to clearly identify specific locations and categories for the performances and workshops. Social media templates allowed the client to take ownership of the event promotion, and use the brand for inspiration for installations. (Event photography from Rosy Addison). A testimonial from the Cherwell Theatre Company can be found here.
Branding and supporting assets for a fundraising campaign for KSS Air Ambulance, encouraging people to clock up 100 miles in July 2023. The inclusive social media and digital campaign gave the audience inspiration for locations in the Kent, Surrey and Sussex areas where they could do activities to reach their total, encouraging them to make the most of the beautiful region in which they live. A tracker helped them keep track of their progress.
Brand and visual identity, and supporting assets for the upcoming Activity in Action Awards, hosted by Living Sport, a charity encouraging active lifestyles in Cambridgeshire. Previously their awards recognised the elite but from 2022 it is focused on community heroes.
The visual identity focuses on the journey from someone's aspiration for a fitness goal, the support from coaches, their dedication and the sense of achievement from achieving their goal, and how that will allow others to aspire to achieve their own goals. The triangle was a symbol of the challenge and the ripple from the frames represented the ripple effect their determination and achievements could have on others. (Additional assets will be designed in upcoming months.)
An illustration to promote the 2017 Charter of the Forest, commissioned by The Woodland Trust. Created using a graphics tablet and pen, the illustration formed part of a full page advert featured in The Guardian, The Observer, The Express, The Express on Sunday, The Times and The Sunday Times.
Design and strategy of a family trail around Mourne Park Wood in Northern Ireland, completed in Spring 2023. I proposed a concept of using frames within the wood for visitors to look through and interact with, with the final frame allowing them to put themselves in the frame and share on social media.
Annual report for The Josh Hanson Trust, an inspirational charity supporting and advocating for victims of violent crime and raising awareness of the impact of violent crime. The report highlights their achievements from 2020–21.
A testimonial from The Josh Hanson Trust can be viewed here.
I worked with the inspirational construction charity Band of Builders in 2019 to develop a range of t-shirts to celebrate the bond between fathers and their children. Alongside offering copywriting, the hand drawn designs featured topical type styles including retro and modern football typography for the BoB Dad and Mini BoB t-shirts. Launched in time for Father’s Day, the designs are still available in a range of colours on the Band of Builders website.
Branding and website design for A Little Bit Wilder, a new forest school in Nottinghamshire. Hand-drawn illustrations formed custom-type for the logo and tagline on the website, banners, merchandise and uniform.
LincolnLocal.shop is a completely free, easy to use website directory showcasing local businesses selling gifts. Created for free by a friend and I with the aim of encouraging people to shop locally this Christmas and beyond, the brand and site was brought to life in just 7 days (alongside other jobs) and was launched with 77 businesses. As of early December 2020 this has increased to 143, across 25 categories. Alongside the site, a social media campaign across Facebook and Instagram has helped create brand awareness.
A testimonial from one of our small businesses can be viewed here.
I began working with the Thorold Arms in Harmston in 2019. Members of the local community had come together to buy and renovate their village pub, after the owners had wanted to sell it for development. Designing a logo for the renovated pub required substantial research into local history and relevant typography to create a logo which felt comfortable today but also reflected history and heritage. Taking advice from a local historian, we traced back the roots of the pub on its site to the mid 18th Century, though a pub first came to the village a few decades before, near to where the Thorold brothers built Harmston Hall in 1715. Sir George Thorold became Lord Mayor of London in 1720, so it was fitting to be inspired by typefaces of this era. My research led me to Caslon, which was designed in London by William Caslon I in 1725, just after the death of Sir George. I found an example of the Caslon typeface and hand drew this to become the main logo. The supplementary type was Egyptian, the first commercial printing sans serif, designed by William Caslon IV in 1816. This was conceptually the right choice as Samuel Thorold changed the pub’s name to the Thorold Arms in that era. Egyptian was created in London by a descendant of Caslon, as the Thorold Arms was named by a descendant of Sir George Thorold, Lord Mayor of London. The colour palette chosen complemented their plans for the interiors, and the sign was painted in Farrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue by a local signwriter. This project was fascinating and a privilege to be involved with; and I am proud of the conceptual depth to the final outcome and the insight and care taken to do it justice. In the future I look forward to creating a pub crest, inspired by the Thorold family’s crest, and design a new hanging sign.
A laser-cut carousel invitation designed for the Woodland Trust, promoting their major donor event for 2018. The invitation was created using just three sheets of paper, and features hidden magnets to snap it together as a star shape, telling the story of the amazing events planned during the day and evening. The invitation was packaged with an information card and RSVP in a box and hand finished for each recipient. Film by Kara Vicca
Series of Members' Magazine cover illustrations, commissioned between 2008-2009.
YCN Student Competition Winner 2007
‘Poo, Pants, Sick, Damn’ – Series of stickers aimed at 8-11 year old boys encouraging them to talk about their problems. This piece of work was exhibited at the Royal College of Art in London, and featured in the YCN Book 0708.
YCN Student Competition Winner 2007
L-R: New Direction, Hero, Caring for the Environment. These pieces of work were exhibited at the Royal College of Art in London, and featured in the YCN Book 0708.
I worked with Iain and his team during 2019, developing their range of Outlaw merchandise through creative copywriting and getting the best out of their existing brand. Through targeted research and speaking to triathletes and their families, I discovered that a casual range and also some supporters merchandise would be well-received. This insight was invaluable when coming up with initial concepts and copywriting, and reflected in the success of the final outcomes.
I was approached in 2018 to create a brand for Wild Things Forest School, part of an Ofsted Outstanding nursery school. The logo needed to sit alongside the nursery logo comfortably and feel natural, creative, fun and youthful. I hand drew the type and leaves; and included both oak and beech branches to symbolise the pupils: kings and queens of the forest; creativity, strength, knowledge and endurance. Alongside the logo I created a simple brand bible, stationery and designs for staff uniform.
I was approached in 2018 to create a brand for Partners Hub, an app-based service to connect sports associations to their sponsors and offer deals to all from grassroots to elite professionals (in a similar way to reward schemes such as O2 Priority Moments). This brand needed to feature a responsive logo and reflect the target audience by having a sporty feel (though non-sport specific). I also designed example layout styles for developers based on the first organisation (the Welsh FA), and then subsequent styles for other organisations.
