25 Aug 2026 Community

24 hours, 24 tattoos An incredible tribute by Rachael to her mum

What began as a personal desire to give something back to The Kirkwood turned into an extraordinary 24 hour fundraising challenge, raising more than £3,000 thanks to the support of tattoo clients, local businesses, friends, family and the wider community.

For the owner of Kin, Rachael Berry, supporting The Kirkwood is deeply personal. The hospice cared for her mum during the final days of her life, providing not only compassionate care for her, but vital support for the whole family at an incredibly difficult time.

She said: “My connection with The Kirkwood is deeply personal. They cared for my mum during the final days of her life, and I will never be able to put into words just how much that meant to us. Every single member of staff was exceptional. Before changing careers, I worked in health and social care, so I understand the pressures and challenges that healthcare professionals face every day. Yet every person we met made caring seem effortless. They treated my mum with such dignity, compassion and kindness, making her feel like she was the most important person in the room. At a time when our world was falling apart, they somehow managed to lift an enormous weight from our shoulders and bring moments of light into the darkest days of our lives.”

Describing her mum as “the sun in our solar system” and the heart of the family, she also faced the challenge of helping her three young children come to terms with losing their much loved Nana. It was during this time that The Kirkwood’s support extended beyond the care of her mum.

Rachael added: “The Kirkwood didn’t just care for my mum, they cared for all of us. They provided us with an incredible family counsellor who gently guided us through those precious final moments. Everything in me wanted to protect my young children from the pain of saying goodbye, but with her support they were able to spend time with their Nana, hold her hand, tell her how much they loved her and say goodbye in their own way. I truly believe my mum heard every word. Looking back, I am so grateful for this. I genuinely think I would have regretted not doing it. I will be forever grateful to The Kirkwood. Their care didn’t end with my mum; it created ripples of compassion and support that reached every member of our family. Those ripples are still felt today, and they are one of the biggest reasons why supporting The Kirkwood means so much to me.”

Having previously supported The Kirkwood through fundraising events including the Memory Walk, she began thinking about how she could use her own skills to make an even bigger difference.

When she opened Kin, giving back to the local community was always part of the plan. With the business located just a stone’s throw from The Kirkwood, ideas such as coffee mornings and fundraising events were already being considered. Then came a much more ambitious idea: tattooing continuously for 24 hours.

Rachael explained: “To my knowledge, it had never been done before. It was a little bit crazy, but I hoped that was exactly what would make people stop, take notice and, most importantly, donate.”

The idea quickly gathered momentum when colleague and close friend Eloise immediately offered her support: “When I mentioned the idea to Eloise, she didn’t hesitate for a second. She looked at me and said, ‘You’re doing this, and I’m with you every step of the way.’ From that moment on, it became something much bigger than just my idea.”

Together, they worked out how many tattoos could realistically be completed during the challenge. A special collection of designs was created, each with a connection to The Kirkwood, including the Tree of Life.

The aim was to complete 24 tattoos across 24 hours, with each appointment priced at £50. If every appointment sold, the tattoos alone would raise £1,200. Despite setting an initial fundraising target of £1,000, there were nerves about whether people would embrace such an unusual challenge.

Rachael continued: “The Sunday we launched the event on social media, I was absolutely racked with anxiety. I was convinced people would think it was a crazy idea and that no one would book. Then, less than 20 minutes after launching, the first six appointments had gone. I burst into tears. When every single slot sold out in under 48 hours, I was completely overwhelmed and in total shock.”

Demand was so high that a cancellation list was created, but the team wanted to find a way for those without a tattoo appointment to get involved too. Eloise suggested running a bake sale and coffee morning alongside the Tattooathon. Members of the community donated cakes, while friends and family gave up their time to support the event.

Meanwhile, colleague and close friend Kim contacted local businesses to ask for raffle prizes and the response demonstrated just how much The Kirkwood means to people across the local community.

Rachael said: “Then there was the raffle… wow. Our colleague Kim started emailing, calling and texting local businesses with our idea and their generosity was unbelievable. So many donated prizes without hesitation because they wanted to support The Kirkwood too. What started as one slightly crazy idea became something that belonged to everyone. The Kirkwood believed in us, our clients embraced it, local businesses got involved, our community rallied around us, and together we raised far more than we ever dreamed possible. It was one of the proudest moments of my life.”

By the end of the challenge, more than £3,000 had been raised, three times the original target. Rachael said: “I am incredibly proud of what we achieved together. Raising over £3,000 for The Kirkwood was far beyond anything we imagined when we first came up with the idea, and it’s something I’ll always be proud of. At the same time, I also know it’s still only a small contribution towards what The Kirkwood needs to continue providing the incredible care they give every single day. I need to know that The Kirkwood will always be there for families like ours, because what they provide is so much more than medical care. They provide dignity, compassion, reassurance and support at the moments people need it most. They are, quite simply, an essential part of our community. I hope the money we’ve raised helps another family receive the same kindness, guidance and comfort that we did. If it helps ease even a tiny part of someone else’s journey, then every hour of tattooing, every aching muscle and every sleepless moment will have been worth it.”

The Tattooathon was also a fitting tribute to the person who inspired the fundraiser in the first place: “My mum spent her whole life helping other people, in whatever way she could. She touched so many lives with her kindness and generosity, and she lived by a simple phrase: ‘If you can, you should.’ What she meant was that if you’re in a position to help someone, you should never hesitate to do so. When I realised I had the opportunity to use my skills to raise money for The Kirkwood, I knew I had to do it. In many ways, the Tattooathon wasn’t just about fundraising, it was about honouring my mum and carrying forward the values she lived by. I hope she would be proud.”

Completing 24 hours of tattooing was a huge physical challenge, but the support of those closest to her helped her reach the finish line: “I couldn’t have done any of it without the incredible support of my best friends, Eloise and Kim. They believed in the idea from the very beginning and stood beside me every step of the way, helping to turn what started as a crazy thought into something truly special. I also have to give a special mention to my mother-in-law, who was there from start to finish, cheering us on and keeping us going through the long hours. To top it all off, she insisted on being the very last tattoo of the 24 hour challenge. After staying awake and supporting us throughout the entire event, I think that was an incredibly brave way to finish, and a moment I’ll never forget. She got me over the finish line.”

And after the incredible response to the first Tattooathon, there are already plans to do it all again, she said: “This definitely isn’t the end. We’ll be back next year with another Tattooathon, and we’ve already got even bigger and better ideas to make it an even greater success. Who knows… maybe other tattoo artists will get behind the idea too. Imagine if Tattooathons started happening all over the country, raising thousands more for hospices and charities that mean so much to the communities they serve. That would be something really special.”