So for anyone thats followed me on social media for a while you will know that I am a big fan of the Just a card campaign. A campaign set up to help small businesses everywhere to be noticed and to receive the support that they need from the people that say they love them.

It is such an important campaign to make us all sit up and understand that small businesses can't survive on comments of how lovely their work is, or how clever and talented they are. As utterly wonderful as it is to hear those things, they don't pay the bills, and the reality is that the only way a small business can survive is if people buy things from them and support them not only verbally but with their wallets too. 

The story of why Just a Card was set up has always really struck me, its the story of a gallery that went out of business, when it happened they said that if all the people that had visited and said what a lovely gallery it was had bought 'just a card' then they wouldnt have needed to close. How crazy is that, if the people that loved it had spent just a couple of pounds with them it would have been enough to keep that business going. And the fact is that that is true for all of us. You dont need to be able to spend hundreds of pounds with the small shops that you love, but if you can support them by buying something when you can, even somethings as small and insignificant seeming as a card you could literally help them to keep going for another week, another month, another year. Of course just a card doesnt just mean cards, it can represent any small sale, a card, a book, a coffee, a slice of cake, a pack of educational fact cards :) Whatever it is, every little sale adds up, and can make a huge difference to that business.

Of course you can't always buy from everyone (wouldnt that be nice) and so its important to help in other ways too. Without spending a single penny you can help the businesses that you love to keep going. Make sure you are following them on social media, when they post something, jump right in there with a like and a comment, share it with people you know, tag in friends you know will love it too. When people start talking about the C word and having no idea what to get, send them to these businesses that you love. Every little bit of interaction can and will help. Don't forget that just because your not in the market to buy something from them that day doesnt mean someone else you know isnt. You also never know who knows someone else that might love it. 

Im sure you have seen so many people across social media say that every time a small business gets an order an actual person does a happy dance. Well I'm here to tell you its true, every time you buy form me (or someone like me) you are giving them the best hug ever and saying wow I love what you do, and I love it enough to spend my hard earned money on. The person on the receiving end will be beaming, and excited to be able to carry on with their dream. By buying from them you arent only supporting a business you are supporting a dream and taking them one step closer to it being a reality. 

When you buy from me your helping to make my dream of teaching kids about the amazing animals we share the planet with a reality. Your money doesnt go towards buying a yacht or a second home, it goes towards paying the mortgage and keeping the lights on so I can continue to create the things I love to create and continue to bring my products to kids everywhere. Your support means the world to me.

Its never just a card, its a hug, a pat on the back, a high five, its support and encouragement. Its what every small business needs and we love you for doing it.

To find out more about the Just a Card campaign you can visit their website 

https://www.justacard.org