Stuart WoodThe collective behind the #LightItBlue campaign, which saw major venues lighting up in blue to show solidarity with the NHS, has formed a community interest company to raise funds for mental health charities.
#LightItBlue was created at the onset of lockdown by a group of events and entertainment industry professionals to show a united display of gratitude to the NHS and frontline workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Within four months the campaign had become a global movement spanning 23 countries across six continents, enjoying a social media reach of 700 million.
MAKEITBLUE is raising funds for charities including Stress Matters; Backup – the Technical Entertainment Charity; and Stagehand – the Production Services Association’s welfare and benevolent fund.
One of the new CIC’s Directors, Tom Rees, said: “Mental health was on our agenda right from the start. We knew that thousands of event and entertainment industry jobs would be lost or put on hold indefinitely. With so many production companies, venues, agencies and freelancers facing an uncertain future, the impact on individuals’ mental health will be catastrophic.”
Gary White, co-founder of #LightItBlue, added: “In harnessing our skills to thank healthcare and key workers during the pandemic we also wanted to reach out to all the jobless production crews, security staff, riggers, sound engineers, and so many other events and entertainment industry colleagues.”