I refuse to avert my eyes. I refuse to walk past. I will stop, I will learn your name and next time our paths cross, I'll smile and greet you. The pavement doesn't get to keep you. You will know that I see you.

Now, if I can, I will tell them your story too. I will create and design, in a way that sparks their enthusiasm. If they know your story, they'll start seeing you too.

I love to tell stories, but I love more to hear them. Working with homeless people, the guys and the ladies have so many stories, some of them so sad that you would probably prefer not to know.

But I think we should be telling them.

..and it’s the manner in which we do this that leads me to this page. I am a designer, a visual storyteller. Not a professional one. But not a hopeless one. In fact I am very hopeful that if I invest in myself I could improve my skills a lot this Summer with 21 project out in America. I've spent my time at Uni studying Theology, Ministry and Mission and loving it! But if you know me then you would have reason to ask why I didn't go to an art/design school?

My gifting lies in my art and it always has, throughout school I poured myself into photography projects, always wanted to be the one to design. When the "Leavers Book" arrived at the end of school, that's when I knew graphics would be big for me. Producing something you can hold in your hand.

At uni I've been asked to design countless posters and flyers, media and communications, promoting events that we've done with the CU. Also church rebranding is another thing I've been involved with and I'm beginning to redesign more Church graphics across the country . If you need a logo, I can do that. Flyers and online profiles, I can do those too. I like to design with pictures and with written words, with your vision in mind and specifically I want my designs to have meaning and purpose sown into them.

Up until now I have taught myself how to 'do design'. It is good, but it is not excellent. Rather than pay for photoshop I downloaded 'Inkscape' a couple years ago to do all my graphics and its time I learnt how to use different and better programmes.

I've needed a "way-in" to this learning. A few months ago now, 'Carry the Love', YWAM came to us. They had come from America, touring Unis and holding worship nights. Their mission was so well branded, the visual aesthetic caught my attention. After having an incredibly significant worship evening with them, they mentioned this project '21 project' in California where we can come and learn different skills for mission, invest in our talents. One of the tracks is titled 'Media'.

Here is the description of the track.

From September I will be living in Durham and I will be branding projects as they start up and continue. There are two Christian movements whose branding I have already been involved with, I can show you these if you would like to see. Social enterprises and charities are where my work will be given. Churches who can pay me, I would also be branding for them. The goal is to set up a website for commissioned work to begin.

All of this comes back to telling stories. Of people that I engage with, with whom I have built good relationships, who are the reason I am staying in Durham working with The Salvation Army. Vulnerable people represent a need for the collective society to sit up and take notice of these in our cities.

I want to tell this story in a different way, rather than despair, I want to enthuse us with Hope and with a Joy surrounding the opportunity to improve lives. By engaging with people. Help me tell you their stories and help me spark enthusiasm to engage with people. I want to enable the rest of us to see needs and to begin filling them.

We are in the process of opening the first Winter Night Shelter in Durham. I will be branding the media side of it, this training in the summer will directly facilitate my work on this too.

If you would like to support me, in going to California with Carry the Love, YWAM to invest in the designer in me, please do. I need £700 for flights and £700 for the training.

Further if you would like to support my work next year, to support my obedience in pursuing design, I would so appreciate that.

Bless you, thank you for reading.