Member Article

Perfect Christmas tale for North East charity

Christmas has come early for a North East charity Wag & Company with a special donation made by acclaimed regional artist Alex Clark.

Animal loving artist Alex Clark has donated two unique designs for Christmas cards for the charity as well as financing the print and production of 5,000 of them.

Alex has built her reputation on her sympathetic and quirky depiction of dogs, cats, birds, and farm animals. Living near Shotley Bridge, she has a thriving wholesale business based in County Durham along with a busy shop in Corbridge, Northumberland.

From these bases Alex has also established a strong online presence. The Corbridge gallery showcases her limited-edition prints, greeting cards, gift wrap, gift bags, textiles, cushions, placemats, fridge magnets, bookmarks and a wide variety of stationery items.

Alex said: “I love dogs and have supported Wag & Co a little in the past. I had a meeting earlier this year with Diane, the founder, and was taken by her passion and moved by the stories of the people the charity helps.

“Following covid I think many of us have a better understanding of what it would be like to be alone and isolated in your home. Wag volunteers and their friendship dogs do such a marvellous job going to people’s homes to be a friend and lift their spirits.”

Diane Morton, founder and CEO of Wag and Co, said: “We have been blown away by the generosity of Alex, who has not only designed and donated this year’s fabulous Wag Christmas cards, but she’s also produced them all for us.

“Alex is a huge animal lover and she’s based close to our offices in the Tyne Valley. She has supported us in the past at Christmas but this year she has amazed us by designing these gorgeous cards. She’s drawn Wag!”

Wag & Company was set up seven years ago to tackle loneliness and isolation among older and vulnerable dog lovers in the North East. The charity has a network of hundreds of volunteers who visit older dog lovers in their own homes as well as in care homes or medical establishments - the only visiting dog charity to visit people at home.

The cards come in packs of six and are printed on high quality paper in two designs: a trio of Friendship Dogs, and a perfect illustration of a Wag friend at Christmas, looking out at everyone else’s happy, dog filled Christmas.

Wag is selling packs of six cards for £6 or two packs for £10. All proceeds go to the provision of Wag Friendship Dogs. To find them visit the Wag online shop.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Wag & Co .