Bristol artist’s bespoke wrapping paper inspired by refugees’ stories

Spreading a message of unity, love and hope, Ruby Taylor has created a bespoke wrapping paper design to highlight the struggles faced by refugees.

The artist, based on Redcliffe Way, was moved by the stories of displaced families and the additional challenges winter brings for those who don’t have basic essentials such as a home, food and warmth.

Ruby is among a group of artists to have donated bespoke designs to support the UK for UNHCR’s #WrappedInKindness winter appeal.

UK UNHCR, which is the UN Refugee Agency’s national charity partner, is urging people to “give the gift of kindness” and help the charity deliver life-saving relief.

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Reflecting on the stories of displaced mothers that inspired the design, Ruby said: “I thought it was really moving when Um Ismael said ‘I get afraid when winter comes’, it’s such a contrast to my life when I am getting excited about Christmas and walks in the cold weather.”

The artist added: “For the design, I wanted to use this quote and try to represent some of the things that the money will enable refugees to do, such as get warm clothes, get gas to make hot food and drinks and to warm themselves up.

“I also wanted to include symbols of the fear and cold, wet weather alongside statements of hope, love and support – Um Ismael says that she wanted people to ‘unite and love each other’. I’ve created the design in little coloured blocks, to reference how a quilt would be designed which is another symbol of wrapping up and being warm.”

More than 680,000 Afghans fled their homes this year due to the upsurge in insecurity and violence, according to UK UNHCR figures. Now, millions of internally displaced people in the country are facing food scarcity, a health system at breaking point and a harsh winter with temperatures well below zero.

Meanwhile, Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq are experiencing another bitterly cold winter in makeshift shelters and unfinished buildings. Families are struggling to buy heating fuel, warm clothing for their children and basic essentials, and need urgent support.

UNHCR is working across the region and in Afghanistan to deliver life-saving relief like blankets, tent insulation kits and emergency winter payments, giving families dignity and independence to buy the essentials they need.

Emma Cherniavsky, CEO of UK for UNHCR says, “On average the UK uses a staggering 227,000 miles of wrapping paper over the winter. As you wrap gifts – whether Christmas, end of year or birthday – for the people you love, please also donate to help wrap someone fleeing war or persecution in kindness and warmth against the winter cold.

“The £5 that you might spend buying a couple of rolls of wrapping paper this Christmas could help a refugee family in Jordan buy a blanket.”

Donate, find out more and download the Wrapped in Kindness wrapping paper via: unrefugees.org.uk/kindness.

Main photo by David Parry/PA Wire

Read more: ‘We are a city of sanctuary’ – Bristol responds to Afghanistan crisis

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