Contribute

We recently launched Writing the Asylum – a website showcasing the creative work of 28 writers and artists, inspired by the stories of former patients and staff at Gartnavel Royal Asylum. Writing the Asylum is a creative project funded by the University of Glasgow and Wellcome through the Glasgow Medical Humanities Early Career Awards in 2022 and 2023

In our latest blog post, we hear from the lovely Gillean McDougall about the Writing the Asylum project and the process behind building the new website.

“The Writing the Asylum website showcases the project beautifully, and the ethos of care, patience and attention to detail in Gerard’s work reflects the other creative elements of the project.” - Gillean

https://wecontribute.co.uk/writing-the-asylum

Christmas is almost here!

We would like to wish our friends, clients and suppliers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year when it comes!

We will be closed from the 23rd of December until the 4th of January 2023, when we will be back working on some great projects!

Have a great time and we’ll see you in 2023.

We recently designed and produced 'The Courageous non-uniformity of Stones'. A 60 page, perfect bound, book of poetry that captures the thoughts, feelings and hopes of over 20 contributors. It shares ways in which the poets found inspiration and encouragement through the pandemic.

Interfaith Scotland’s National Development Officer, Frances Hume, commented:

“We were delighted with the front cover design of our book of poems. We have received many compliments on this from recipients of the book. The Scottish Poetry Library mentioned how impressed they were with the typesetting and printing work. As ever, working with Gerard was a very positive experience. He took our suggestions and expertly designed the book as specified and was supportive and patient with any last minute changes we requested for the contents.

I would highly recommend Gerard for any work you need in design and publishing.”

The book can be purchased directly from Interfaith Scotland

www.interfaithscotland.org

Scottish Poetry Library
www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk

Yep… we read it the same way and that’s not a fluke. It’s called a ‘typographic hierarchy’. It’s used to guide the readers eye through the text in the most natural order, breaks up long blocks of text so it’s easier to read, and helps the viewer skip through information but still pick up the main points of an article.

At Contribute, we have a vast amount of experience in layout design, specifically leaflets, newsletters, and magazines. If you would like to find out more about our services get in touch by calling 0141 354 1711 or visit www.wecontribute.co.uk

Beautiful view from the first meeting of today! Scotland is a stunning country when the sun shines.

As I start sketching an idea for a brand for one of my clients it suddenly struck me how much the ‘tools of the trade’ have changed. I remember doing this with tracing paper and then scanning it in to redraw it in a package called Freehand (gone but not forgotten!).

If you are considering a branding project for your business, charity, or project, get in touch today on 0141 354 1711 or visit www.wecontribute.co.uk to find out more.

We recently worked on the rebrand and website ‘refresh’ for Lanarkshire-based architectural practice, Block Architects.

Block Architects was established in 2004. They work across a wide variety of projects including residential housing developments, commercial developments, self-build homes, and home, office & retail extensions. Their previous style had been in place for a number of years and it was felt that the time was right for a new look.

As part of the rebrand project, we worked closely with the Block Architects team to find out exactly what they were trying to achieve. After our initial chat, we worked on different brand styles, eventually presenting four different creative routes to the client. We then worked on refining their chosen route until they were totally happy with it.

Managing Director of Block Architects, Kenneth Martin, commented “I absolutely love the new branding for Block Architects. The team are delighted with it too. A huge thanks to Gerard Donnelly of Contribute for his support on this project. Top class.”

Please visit www.blockarchitects.co.uk

If you are considering a branding project for your business, charity, or project, get in touch today on 0141 354 1711 or visit www.wecontribute.co.uk to find out more.

Show your customers some love over the holiday season! Put thought into it and make it personal. https://wecontribute.co.uk/building-the-holiday-seasons-in-to-your-marketing-strategy

Building the holiday seasons in to your marketing strategy Over the years we’ve found it really beneficial to focus some of our marketing strategy around the holiday seasons. Finding new clients is always important to a growing business, but so is keeping in contact with your current client base. The people who have already done business with, who you’v...

We’re pleased to announce that we’ve just launched the new Interfaith Glasgow website.

The new website really showcases the important role Interfaith Glasgow plays in interfaith discussions across Glasgow and Scotland. The new website also showcases the projects they organise, the training they offer, and the events they hold.

“We are absolutely delighted with Interfaith Glasgow’s new website. From the earliest stages to the final touches, Gerard was a pleasure to work with: attentive, friendly, professional, and conscientious. The process felt like a genuine collaboration in which our ideas were taken seriously, improved, and brought to fruition through Gerard’s creative input. When our timetable for producing content slipped, Gerard was extremely flexible – working with us at whatever pace worked for us and willing to make umpteen last-minute tweaks so everything was just as we wanted it for the big launch. And the cost of the whole redesign was very competitive. I cannot recommend Contribute highly enough.”

Rose Drew, Chief Executive, Interfaith Glasgow

www.interfaithglasgow.org

https://wecontribute.co.uk/new-interfaith-glasgow-website

It’s always nice to receive something from GF Smith Papers in the post. Stunning paper samples yet again!

Not only have we been hard at work throughout all of 2020 but we’ve also built ourselves a new studio space! With the vast majority of people being told to work from home, we decided to make some changes. A massive thank you to TDW Joinery Services Ltd for all of their hard work and expertise.

https://wecontribute.co.uk/making-changes-in-2020/

It’s always nice when our clients give us positive feedback about the projects we work on. It’s even nicer when our clients receive compliments about their new website from the professionals and family members they work with on a daily basis.

We recently had the privilege of working with the Carers Hub of Glasgow East End Community Carers. They have been supporting unpaid carers in the east end of Glasgow for over 25 years. We refined their brand and built them a lovely new website.

Our client contacted us with the following feedback from a couple of healthcare professionals they work with:

“Vibrant, colourful, fresh and clear. The amount of info is very impressive, especially under your Covid-19 tab – training/workshops through to finance & grants. Brilliant. A very professional service that clearly knows its stuff and what it’s about. Well done. You should be very proud.”

“Your website is fab! Looks amazing. Love the quotes. The language feature is just incredible. The pics make it personal, very human, and real.”

Our client ended their email by saying…

“These quotes are from professionals and this is definitely how we want to be seen. The site is everything we hoped it would be. I know you care about your work and will be as happy as we are.”

Needless to say, it brought a smile to my face.

To view their new site please visit https://www.eastend-carers.co.uk

If you would like to have chat about how we can help your business or organisation, please call us on 0141 241 6354, email [email protected] or for more information please visit www.wecontribute.co.uk

To get some fresh air and exercise during lockdown, I’ve been going on a 4km walk every morning. It’s an excellent time to plan out what needs to be done that day before I get caught up in Zoom calls, phone calls, and emails.

A few days ago I decided to download an audiobook that I could enjoy on my morning walks. I decided to download Agencynomics by Spencer Gallagher and Peter Hoole. It’s an excellent read for agency business owners or for those thinking about taking the leap into running their own agency.

My mornings of planning have now turned into mornings of learning!

Remote Working... the shape of things to come? - Contribute

With many of us now coming to terms with ‘life in lockdown’, I thought I would reflect on why I think the global pandemic has changed the way we work for good.

https://wecontribute.co.uk/remote-working-the-shape-of-things-to-come/

wecontribute.co.uk Remote Working is now part of the 'new norm'. What impact will it have on design agencies and is this the new way of working?

Excellent page layout by The New York Times. We thought it really captured these strange times that we find ourselves in! ̇d19

A different perspective thanks to 'Design Your Practice' - Contribute

I’ve wanted to post something about Creative Entrepreneurs' Club, and their course ‘Design Your Practice’, for some time now. They have been a great source of help and advice since I signed up for the course late last year. Now, with recent events, they have became an invaluable resource to the creative industry in Scotland. They are offering help and advice from leading industry figures, online events, and a place to collaborate and share ideas.

If you work in the creative industry or know someone who does, then please get them to have a look at https://creativeentrepreneursclub.co.uk/

I’ve written a post about the positive impact their ‘Design Your Practice’ course has made to me and my business.

https://wecontribute.co.uk/a-different-perspective-thanks-to-design-your-practice/

wecontribute.co.uk By answering a Facebook advert things changed everything for the better... thanks to the Creative Entrepreneurs' Club!

We’re very lucky to have such amazing people carrying out the work they do. 👏👏👏

Business as usual! - Contribute

During these strange times that we are living through, we wanted to reassure our clients, and prospective clients, that we are still open for business! Things will be carrying on as normal with just a few small adjustments.

https://wecontribute.co.uk/business-as-usual/

wecontribute.co.uk It's business as usual at Contribute as we continue to work remotely through these challenging times. We will be making some changes to how we work... but not many!

I’ve never felt so chilled out on a photoshoot before! We’ve just spent a lovely morning taking some shots of our clients sensory room.

After a morning of business planning with Rachael at Creative Entrepreneurs Club, my trip back through The Barras took me past this sign. Pretty apt I thought!

Holocaust Memorial Day - Contribute

We have had the privilege to design the programmes and signage for the years Holocaust Memorial Day event being held at the Scottish Parliament.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. It is also the 25th anniversary of the genocide that took place in Bosnia. The theme of the event is 'Stand Together'. It explores how genocidal regimes throughout history have deliberately fractured societies by marginalising certain groups, and how these tactics can be challenged by individuals standing together with their neighbours, and speaking out against oppression.

Holocaust Memorial Day is on Monday 27th January 2020.

https://wecontribute.co.uk/holocaust-memorial-day/

Interfaith Scotland Holocaust Memorial Day Trust

wecontribute.co.uk We get asked to design programmes all the time. Producing signage, exhibitions displays, printed promotional material, corporate gifts, it’s part and parcel of what we do. When we were contacted at the start of December by one of our longstanding clients to design a programme for them, there was n...

Today is our last day in the office before Christmas. We will be back at our desks on the 6th of January.

We want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (when it comes!). We hope Santa is good to you. 🎅

We will see you all in 2020.

We belong to Glasgow! - Contribute

We can’t believe it’s been 6 months since we made the move to Glasgow city centre! Time has flown by...



https://wecontribute.co.uk/we-belong-to-glasgow/

wecontribute.co.uk Celebrating 6 months since design agency, Contribute, moved to Glasgow.

One of the highlights of what has been a pretty good week, was meeting Paul from GF Smith Papers. Some stunning samples and it’s always good to leave a meeting with a 101 ideas running through my head!

In August 2009 a friend of mine asked me to design a logo for a sports club. Up until this point the thought of having my own business was a nice idea, but it was just that, an idea. When I was asked “who do I make the cheque payable to?” I delayed answering for a few hours whilst I pulled on my 'big boy pants' and headed for my bank to open up a business account. The day I opened the bank account was the first day that my ‘business’ was recorded anywhere. That happened in August 2009 and 10 years later we’re still going strong!

There have been many up’s and down’s along the way. There’s been many late nights and worked weekends. At points it has been stressful, but I can honestly say I would do it all again. We've met so many great people, worked on some brilliant projects and produced some really nice work. Some of the clients we worked with back then are still clients of ours today.

I just wanted to thank everyone for their help and support over these 10 years. A big thank you to our wonderful clients who allow us to get creative with their brands, websites and social media channels. Also, a big thank you to our great suppliers for the amazing work they do. A very big thank you to the people we work in partnership with and friends and family for all of the support you have shown me over the past 10 years.

An extra big thank you to my parents. Ten years ago they received an excited, if not slightly garbled, phone call from me explaining that I was going to set up my own business. They backed me 100% then and they still do today! I honestly couldn’t have done this without you. Thank you.

I would love to say you were all going to get a slice of the chocolate cake in the picture, but it’s too small for that, and being realistic, it’s probably going to be finished by the time I hit send on this post! Maybe I’ll get a bigger cake for our 20th!

Happy 10th birthday to us! Here’s to many more...

We’re getting ready to send out some promotional material, informing people about the lovely work we do and how we can help them.

If you want to find out more about Contribute just send us a message saying ‘Hello!’

What Sunday mornings are made for! A nice cup of coffee and some time to catch up on some reading. It’s always important to keep up with the latest trends and read informed opinions. Happy Sunday folks! Computer Arts Creative Bloq

We love working with businesses owners that have a real passion for what it is they do. We were approached to produce a brand and website for Mind Marvels, a Lanarkshire based business teaching young people how to manage their emotional health and wellbeing, linked to Curriculum for Excellence and the NHS 5 Steps to Mental Wellbeing (move, connect, learn, be kind and mindful). Mind Marvels sessions allow young people to feel increased confidence as they learn calming strategies to self regulate their own emotions.

Mind Marvels was created by Karen Gibb, a fully qualified secondary school teacher who has prior experience in youth development and early years.
Karen taught teenagers with social, emotional and behavioural needs and pupils with severe and complex additional support needs, including autism and ADHD.

As well as creating a brand and website that speaks directly to Mind Marvels target audiences, we also designed supplementary graphics for the website, social media and email signatures.

We have many brilliant clients but we can honestly say that it’s been a real privilege to work with Karen and Mind Marvels. For more information about Mind Marvels visit www.mindmarvels.co.uk Mind Marvels @ Glasgow, United Kingdom

We’ve been working with Glasgow based supported living organisation, Fair Deal, for over a year now.

We’ve had the pleasure of taking part in one of their ‘Fun Days’, we’ve interviewed their support workers to find out why a career in social care was the correct job option for them, and we’ve also been to their community growing space in Castlemilk as part of their ‘Help Yourself Grow’ project.

We’ve captured all of this work and produced a range of leaflets and YouTube videos that highlight the great work of Fair Deal, the brilliant people they work for and their fabulous staff.

For more information about Fair-Deal please visit www.fair-deal.org Fair Deal

It’s always exciting to get a finished print job delivered... especially when it’s our new stationery!

It’s been a real privilege to have worked on the branding and website build for Castle Quality Homes. www.castlequalityhomes.co.uk

After a hectic week (and weekend) settling into our new place, we're pleased to announce our new contact details.

Our new address is:

The Pentagon Centre,
36 Washington Street,
Glasgow,
G3 8AZ

Our new phone number is:
0141 241 6354

After nearly 3 years of being based on the outskirts of Glasgow we took the decision to move into the city centre! We will be announcing our new contact details in the next few days. We have also refreshed our brand to coincide with our new move... it’s all change at Contribute! Exciting times.

In what now appears to be a whistle stop tour of ‘End of Year’ shows, it was nice to pop in and see the exhibition at Glasgow School of Art. You always come away feeling a little bit more inspired than when you went in! Some great work on show. The Glasgow School of Art

It’s nice to be at New College Lanarkshire to see the Creative Showcase end of year show! It takes me back to student days... now where’s the student union?

We were out seeing one of our clients today and admiring how their new brand, designed by us, looks in the sunshine (well overcast kind of sunshine!) Even if the weather wasn’t the greatest it was still nice to see their brand being applied actually on-site.

If you are thinking of moving home in Central Scotland, you should definitely have a look at the Castle Quality Homes development in Blackridge. Apart from the easy access to the M8 motorway, the homes are stunning… and their brand is pretty nice as well!

castlequalityhomes.co.uk