If anything, this last year (and the previous year too for that matter), has taught us resilience and has been a constant reminder that building strong relationships across our networks is crucial. Not only for solidarity, but to ensure we can keep looking ahead, thinking strategically and supporting each other.

Group of people at awards dinner sat at table
Blue, red and cream leaflet

First image - Awards ceremony dinner, people sat round a table smiling at camera. Second image - Hand holding a blue, red and cream leaflet with the words AD MINOLITI

Some of our highlights include two very inspiring change makers who we are proud to call clients, the Women’s Environmental Network and Sphera, both speaking at COP26. We gained a DBA Effectiveness Award for our work with Newcastle Carers, and finally got our B Corporation Accreditation. We have collaborated with some amazing people and partner organisations including Helen Hartley, Crystallised, Chloe Rodham, Jo Coates, Sam Laverick, and Design By Women. Each one of them a force of nature.

Some of our project highlights have been painting a huge window mural to celebrate all things LGBTQ for Vans in Newcastle, working with Stephen Joseph Theatre to make theatre more accessible for all amidst the class crisis, working with CVAN to bring equity and equality to visual artists, getting to share our story and journey with Sheffield Hallam from each of our humble beginnings at seaside town council estates (on opposite sides of the country) to where we are now; which happened through pure passion and determination, International Women’s day saw our personal project launch ‘Objects of Self’, the Lankelly Chase website was launched, an organisation we continue to be educated and awed by their approach to systemic change, and are collaborating with Crystallised and the region of Liverpool to support the economic growth of the region and it’s people.

Danni stepped in as an official director of Sail this year, meaning a shift in direction as we navigate and embrace the new and changing design landscape.

We welcomed Owen and Rue, two amazingly creative, passionate and socially focused designers to our team.

We also moved to a new studio space to the glorious Ouseburn, our personal stomping ground for all things creativity, activism and community.

It has been an honour to navigate Sail throughout this pandemic, and whilst it has been a testing time, the ethos and passion our clients share has been a driving force. We shall continue to grow and flex as an organisation to support people and organisations, and continue to do what we can to make real world change through creativity.

We have some exciting ideas, thinking and ventures in the pipeline with our team and collaborators, so 2022, let’s ‘av ya!

Strength and solidarity,

See you on the other side ✌️

Mandy and Danni 🌍

Man putting up large, portrait picture of a man's face
Piece of paper with the bottom half inside a block of concrete

First image - Man putting up large, portrait picture of a man's face located on a grey brick wall. Second image - Piece of paper with the bottom half inside a block of concrete all in the colour blue.

Man wearing a backwards black cap with overlay of red writing
Brightly coloured (yellow, green, purple) graphics from CVAN project

First image - Man wearing a backwards black cap with overlay of red writing "Developed power and decision making is key for change." Second image - Brightly coloured (yellow, green, purple) graphics and images from CVAN project

Lady wearing headscarf playing with two children. Lankelly Chase in red overlay in the centre of the image
Women holding green, pink and purple large banners reading

First image - Lady wearing headscarf playing with two children. Lankelly Chase in red overlay in the centre of the image. Second image - Women holding green, pink and purple large banners reading "We want a a green caring economy" and "Feminist Green Deal" on a protest through streets.