Wigan borough illustrator chooses homelessness charity to benefit from limited edition centenary scarf

To celebrate a century of producing prestigious silk scarves, Echo invited 100 eminent and emerging creators to design the scarf of their dreams, including art director, Sonny Ross from Mosley Common.

Each 35ins silk square is being printed in a limited, numbered edition of 100, with $100 from each sale going to a charity of its creator’s choice.

Sonny chose to support Emmaus Bolton as a regular donor to the homelessness charity’s food bank, Lucie’s Pantry.

The artist has also bought several pieces of preloved furniture from charity’s shops off Fletcher Street in Bolton and new garden furniture made in Emmaus’ on-site workshop.

In total, the fashion clothing company will be donating a potential $1,000,000 to various worthy causes in an initiative which started on Echo’s 100th anniversary, September 27, when the company revealed the first eight scarves.

Sonny, who works mainly in newspaper and book illustration, said: “We just thought Emmaus Bolton was a really cool place to go for furniture. because what you buy there helps the charity make a living.

"So, when the opportunity came up to support a charity, I wanted to choose one where donations could be put to good local use.”

Sonny’s design for the silk scarf references the illustrator’s family, who almost moved to New York in the 1920s and 1930s.

The ladder depicts Sonny’s steeplejack grandfather alongside a Staffordshire knot; the flower and stars for the artist’s mother, who made floral arrangements; a horseshoe and hammer for the designer’s welder father, and the stable-keeper, boot and raindrop are references to Sonny’s passion for walking.

Director of Emmaus Bolton Tony Stephenson said: “What a wonderful surprise for Emmaus to have been chosen to benefit from this design from Sonny. We were delighted to receive the news in a message all the way from Echo in New York.

“Sonny’s design is a great illustration referencing family, which is the style of environment we aim to provide at the charity’s home for people who have experience of homelessness. With thanks to Sonny and Echo, all the proceeds going to Emmaus Bolton from the sale of these scarves will go towards sustaining this for our community of formerly homeless people who live, work and are supported here.”

$100 from each sale of this scarf will be donated to Emmaus Bolton.

Each scarf is printed in a limited, numbered edition of 100.

To visit the Echo store and purchase Sonny’s design, visit: echonewyork.com