A really good organisation called Lifespan

Dinosaur bone cabochon in sterling silver handmade cage

Now here’s an ironic thing.

Every year, for a few years now, I’ve made a piece of jewellery for an auction held by a charity called Lifespan.

Lifespan is a small Northumberland based charity, that helps out sufferers of serious illnesses and their families, cope with the effects of the illness on their life.

The help they offer is free of charge and includes, sitting services, counselling and various complementary therapies. They do sterling work.

So the irony is, that I find myself with one of the diseases that they offer help with. Funny isn’t it how these things pan out.

This year, I’ve donated two necklaces (one of which is shown in the mage above). I haven’t mentioned that I make jewellery – well I haven’t made any for a while as my hands are very shaky and shaky hands cannot make jewellery. Fortunately, I knew the auction was happening, so I made these a while back when I was still well enough.

The Lifespan auction is being held at a gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne called the Biscuit Factory on the 4th of October. I usually go each year and always buy something, as they have utterly wonderful pieces for auction, often by very famous artists, like Tracey Emin, Anthony Gormley and Beryl Cook (yes I feel quite humbled that my work is in amongst those). This year I may not make it, I’ll see how I am. At least I can give them something to auction. Organisations like this are so important. Serious illness affects not just the person who has the disease, but their family as well. I’ve also realised that being ill, for so long, with such a scary illness, affects your mind as well as your body. Having people who understand that and can offer advise and practical help is so important.

Fingers crossed Lifespan get a good crowd and make a lot of money at the auction.