Teapot Trust is so delighted to have been chosen as one of the four charitable beneficiaries of the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon’s Christmas card this year.

This year’s card features a beautiful image entitled ‘Say it with a kiss!’ by Scottish artist John Byrne, the original of which will be auctioned off and the proceeds split between Teapot Trust, SCIAF, Food Train and Scottish Women’s Aid. Ms Sturgeon said ‘The four charities that will benefit from the sale of the painting do fantastic work on local, national and international levels, and I’m very pleased that the card can support such a wide range of good causes.’

The Teapot Trust is a Scottish charity providing professional art therapy and creative interventions for chronically ill children and young people in hospitals and hospices across the UK. Our work aims to build resilience in children with chronic illness by encouraging them to express emotions, mentally overcome the challenges linked to their condition and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Participating in art therapy can contribute to positive mental health, provide peer interaction and a sense of community within the hospital environment and introduce new skills, providing opportunities to be viewed as an individual rather than as patient.

Since 2007, artwork from the First Minister’s official Christmas cards has raised around £170,000 for good causes through the sales of original paintings and limited edition prints. As Teapot Trust receive no funding from the NHS or the Government, generous donations such as this help us ensure we can continue providing our much needed services.

Commenting on the First Minister’s statement in the Scottish Parliament this afternoon, Liz Cameron OBE, Director and Chief Executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said:

“The business community is looking for stability and certainty from the Scottish and UK Governments, and a commitment to focus on the priorities for business and our economy. The First Minister’s new plan will enable an opportunity for Scotland’s politicians of all parties to focus on two clear objectives – to ensure that Scotland and the UK get the best deal possible from Brexit, and for the Scottish Parliament to deliver the improvements to skills, taxation, infrastructure and connectivity that we need here in Scotland.

“We support the First Minister’s call for the Scottish Government to play a full and integral role in the Brexit negotiations, and we also want to see wider Scottish interests, including our business community, represented in this.

“We don’t yet know what Brexit will look like, and our understanding of the terms of the final agreement will define the business and public response. At that point, there will no doubt be a time of public reflection in Scotland, and indeed throughout the UK, to consider the way forward.”