Textile designer, Patrick was opposed to landmines and fond of rats and knew the perfect way to fundraise for us!
Textile designer, Patrick Moriarty discovered APOPO online. and having always been opposed to landmines and fond of the rat species, he decided he would raise money through his textiles for APOPO! Patrick had been planning for some time to find a charity that related to one of his fabric designs in some way so that he could make a regular charitable contribution.
When he discovered APOPO he instantly knew it was the perfect charity to connect with his Paisley Rats fabrics. In September 2020 Patrick decided that every month, he would donate 33% of his commission from the sales of his Paisley Rats fabrics to APOPO. Every month, Patrick writes a post on his Paisley Power Facebook page to inform readers of the amount donated, which often includes a picture of Shuri the rat, (because he is also a proud adopter of Shuri!) and he found that these posts about the rat fabrics and donations to APOPO generated a lot of interest.
Patrick often adds a ‘Donate Now’ button on these posts to raise even more money for APOPO! As well as raising money, Patrick has helped to raise awareness of APOPO’s work – new customers who buy the rat-themed fabrics will hopefully learn about APOPO and our work. Patrick’s incredible fundraising support means more people worldwide can live without the fear and danger of unexploded landmines.
Patrick says:
“I’m always excited to read APOPO’s newsletters. and see photos of the trained rats and the big smiles of their trainers. I also enjoy reading enthusiastic comments about my fabrics and about APOPO when I post on social media. Combining my skills as a designer with fundraising for Apopo has been very enjoyable as it gives my fabrics a new socially-beneficial dimension. It’s such a worthwhile charity that provides a unique service for communities in former war zones. APOPO also provides other vital services. It’s not difficult to fundraise by using your creative skills, it’s actually very inspiring and motivating.”
Patrick has already raised $291 towards APOPO’s work, through the sales of his fabric, which can be purchased here. Thank you, Patrick, for your amazing dedication and support!
If you would like to fundraise for APOPO, please fill out this form.