To hansel in the New Year with all our tenants and partners, we’ve worked again with pupils at Tarbolton Primary School to design our seasonal card. This year they took Robert Burns’ To a Mouse as the theme for eight unique cards. These have been posted out at random so our tenants may spot that their neighbours may have different cards!
Here’s the complete set of the cards they designed.
The designs were developed at a two hour masterclass led by our longstanding graphic designer Neil McGuire of ATN. He was assisted by the well kent Ayr Burns’ enthusiast Alex Baird who selected the poem. Eleven pupils took part choosing to produce designs either individually or in pairs.
To a Mouse is an appropriate choice as its speaks to us all of the importance of a secure home.
Out of our card budget, we also appropriately made a donation to the Ayr homelessness initiative Care and Share. So its doubly a Hansel card! Neil McGuire kindly topped up this gift with part of his fee.
From To a Mouse, Robert Burns, 1785:
Wee, sleekit, cow’rin, tim’rous beastie,
O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi’ bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee,
Wi’ murd’ring pattle!
I’m truly sorry man’s dominion,
Has broken nature’s social union,
An’ justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An’ fellow-mortal!