Guest Blog: Rock Your Birthday

Greetings from @Rock Your Birthday –

an eco-friendly alternative to a birthday card.

Hi, My name is Chris, creator of ‘Rock Your Birthday’.

RYB is a culmination of my life choices, skills and illnesses (yes, you read that right!). I’m an eco-conscious person. I’m a musician. I’m an SEN teacher. I have Crohns disease and I also have Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS).

Last year, due to my illnesses, I was forced to give up large parts of my working life in order to look after myself. It was at this point I decided to put my efforts into making a difference.

RYB allows you to record your recipients name, a personalised message, the name(s) of those that’s it’s from and to add your favourite 10 photo’s. This is all edited into your choice of one of our many different styles of ‘Happy Birthday’ and is returned to you via email or Facebook messenger as a birthday ‘song & video’ for you to share with your lucky recipient. In effect, it emulates a Birthday card, without the need for cutting down a tree or wrapping it in the dreaded ‘P’ word… yes, pl***ic. You can see examples of our work on our facebook page – facebook.com/rockyourbirthday or website – rockyourbirthday.com. They’re quick and easy to make and are returned to you the same day that you order.

RYB is fantastic for all ages. Anyone would love to receive one and everyone can make them. You can even have your child’s voice on a song from any age by simply asking them to repeat what you say (your voice would then be edited out of the song). My family members have received them from my daughter since she was two. To capture her voice like this is priceless and is something we’ll all treasure throughout our lives.

As the covid-19 outbreak hit, I wasn’t launched. I wasn’t ready. But the world was struggling and I felt it was time for people to dig in and do what they could to help. And so, with many people unjustly missing their loved ones birthdays, I opted to be a helper and to give them away for free throughout the first outbreak. We made hundreds! I’ve had to stop that now – with little work, I’m struggling financially, but they are available for the princely sum of just… £3! Instead, throughout this lockdown, I’m donating 50p from every song to an NHS charity.

To date we have saved over 600 cards from being created and 600 pointless plastic sleeves to wrap them in. It’s not much, but it’s a start!

Being eco-friendly doesn’t have to mean changing everything overnight, but it is about changing. The more we can change ourselves and each others habits, the more we achieve and preserve our beautiful world. Through RYB, I hope to be able to be a part of that change.

As Sir David Attenborough said “We need immediate action”.

I’d be delighted if you had a look at our service at either:

https://www.facebook.com/rockyourbirthday
or
http://www.rockyourbirthday.com

And, if you want to give us a go, you’d be treading on that ‘helping’ path too.

Thanks for reading,

Chris
Rock Your Birthday