Bookey Clothing will be supporting Manchester-based charity Moodswings with the launch of a [limited edition] Mental Health Awareness tee.
Thankfully issues surrounding mental health problems are increasingly being discussed more openly in society but the statistics remain shocking. Around one in four people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year and suicide remains the most common cause of death for men aged between 20 and 49 in England and Wales.
The tee will be launched to run in parallel with Mental Health Awareness Week between May 14 and 20 and will be available from the 29th June. Bookey [director and designer] Keem’s inspiration for the design came from his own experience with anxiety problems. The locked hands represent togetherness and are intended to serve as a reminder that as well as being your own strength there are always others – family, friends and charities such as Moodswings - who can offer support.
“Where I grew up we didn’t talk about our feelings. Anxiety or depression and mental health was never a talking point around the dinner table. I’ve always had a passion for design, creativity and fashion so I channelled my thoughts, energy and ultimately this led to Bookey Clothing. Creating designs and building a business has kept me on a positive journey and helped me to control the down days.”
Keem
Why Moodswings?
Bookey Clothing was born in Birmingham but due to a relocation its new second home is Manchester so, Keem wanted to support a local charity. Moodswings is based on a belief that people can recover from severe mood problems, a viewpoint shared by Keem, and they have done some amazing work helping people since being founded in 1998.
The tee will be available [exclusively] on the Bookey Clothing website and 50% of the profits from all sales will be donated to Moodswings, for the first six months after release.