The Responsible Business Directory
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The Responsible Business Directory
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Southampton
Hampshire
SO18 3LY
For as long as I can remember, I have been passionate about design and making a positive difference in the world. What could be better than using the knowledge, skills and experience that I have gained over the past 30 years for the greater good?
After working in advertising and marketing agencies for eight years, I set up Purplelily Design. The name came from my passion for colour and form; a love of flowers and nature and the finer details that make a difference, and the care and attention to detail that clients deserve. All part of Purplelily Design's unique DNA.
So, if you are looking for a logo and brand for a budding new business; a bold and beautiful brochure; or a bloomin' marvellous banner, Purplelily Design can provide creative ideas that come naturally.
I love working with charities, ethical businesses and environmentally sustainable organisations that share my business values (transparency, accountability, integrity, sustainability).
Working from my home office over the past 18 years, I have had more freedom to decide who I work with, and who I will not work with if there is a conflict of values. I've turned down logo design work for a holistic therapist who I discovered was pro-fox hunting and badger culls. I have since signed up to the League Against Cruel Sports Business Without Blood Sports pledge. I also turned down a flyer to promote the sale of Christmas turkeys, albeit from an 'ethical' butcher. As a vegetarian of over 34 years (at the time), I did not feel I was able to find the right mindset to do this project.
I do, however, love working with a local cancer charity, a Cardiac Rehab centre and a garden in the New Forest that supports adults with learning difficulties (differences). I have also provided design support (flyers and banners) for a local pressure group that challenged the building of 5,000 houses next to ancient woodland, fundraising posters for a green organisation as well as campaign material.
I designed an excellent educational information graphic board for a campsite off the South Downs to help encourage site users to recycle more. Before the board, even those who recycled at home, would bag up their waste and bin it as they left, the board encouraged 'bigger picture' thinking by showing how much energy could be generated by recycling certain items.
When my business turned 15, I donated 15 hours of my design time to a local charity for free. Now, my business has turned 18 and I am currently accepting nominations to donate 18 hours of my time to a charity, ethical business, or environmentally sustainable organisation.
I create a lot of social media marketing and graphics to help promote sustainability in business. Sometimes this includes educating people that the right answer may not always be straightforward (e.g. not all plastic use is bad, both digital and print have their place as long as they are used wisely and their carbon footprints are calculated correctly, you can't offset everything!).
A former volunteer at an animal wildlife park, I learned a lot about the welfare of animals internationally. Being a failed fosterer of rescue guinea pigs has also educated me about abandoned animals and their welfare closer to home. My office assistant is a rescue boy who had a tough start in life. I'm also a very keen upcycler and save as much as I can from being thrown away; after all, there is no such place as 'away'. My lovely office chair was a treasured find on Marketplace, and I also run a local Waste Free Food page on Facebook.
