Thread of Gold was created in the name of Clem, who sadly passed in 2017. Clement Mappledoram Carter, born on the 19th of November 1995, was a person who had a thirst for knowledge, no matter the subject. Clem was a kind soul who never judged anyone, despite his own struggles; he always made time for anyone who needed it. Through his loss, his wonderful family found a way to keep his kindness alive, no matter what was happening in the world. Clem’s kindness shone through and continues to do so through Thread of Gold. You can find the Thread of Gold blog HERE. You can also find them on Twitter HERE.
“Through each of us runs a thread of gold, that best part of us which loves to help, encourage and enthuse. Thread of Gold is all about advocating kindness, tolerance and inclusion. At a time where so much media content is focused on anger and division, Thread of Gold aims to seek out the positive, to promote acts of kindness, celebrate people whose tolerance is an example to us all, and endorse places and organisations which encourage inclusivity.”
From Ian Carter on the Thread of Gold Blog
“The sudden and devastating loss of my son, Clem, in February 2017 was the most savage blow for all of us who knew him and loved him. A young man who very definitely lived life in his own, most unique way, at once huge fun and greatly troubled by mental health issues, Clem was, above all else, someone who cared.
On the day of his funeral, a shattering, heartbreaking occasion, I was so very proud of my beautiful son. Ripon Cathedral was full, with many mourners having to stand around the sides. But it wasn’t the shear number of people who had come to show their respects and affection for Clem, that most touched me; rather, it was the diversity of those people: young and old friends, friends from school, university, the rugby club, the pub and from all over; friends from different racial backgrounds and from contrasting social circumstances, friends from the LGBTQ community, males, females, new friends and some who had been friends with Clem since early childhood. Whilst Clem most certainly had a wild side, he also had a huge heart; he loved his friends and cared not whether they be the mightiest or lowliest in the eyes of others, to Clem, they were simply his friends.
The summer before we lost Clem, the two of us were sitting in the garden together, when an elderly friend of mine dropped by. She chatted happily with Clem about a whole range of seemingly obscure topics (obscure to me, at least; Ruth’s late husband had worked as a pharmacist and Clem was studying Pharmaceutical Science, so a friendship was born). Later, when I was talking with Ruth about Clem and some of his struggles with mental health and associated addictions, she looked at me and said; “Yes, he struggles, but he is a kind young man, and running through him, there is a Thread of Gold.”
Please support #threadofgold …because of Clem.”
A wonderful community has been created, promoting kindness, compassion and inclusion and making his kindness to this day spread to many. For example, many people come together to celebrate the beauty in the world during Small Beauties Hour. Ian also shines a light on the difficulties of those who struggle with issues, such as homelessness, being a big focus and mental health. In a world where things seem a bit dark, there is still brightness to be found, and Clem manages to spread that light; may it continue on. Here are some of those posts below:
Clem was a good school/college friend of mine for years, and I have many stories of what we got up to. We used to get up to the strangest of things. We combed the sides of rivers in hopes of finding briefcases of cash from Mafia deals gone wrong. We used to take £1 to see who could buy the most in Sainsbury’s, discover new things in our town, and so much more. There are so many stories I have with Clem. I struggled with my OCD quite badly at the time, but I could always come home, hang out with Clem, and the laughs that we had would always remove you from the hell you faced each week in your own mind. His kindness from a very young age always spread; friends of mine loved him as well because he was so full of life, and his humour was fantastic. It was always uplifting to laugh at everything, especially when we sledged down a hill that was far too steep. It’s still a fond memory I still think about to this day. Clem had a way that could distract you from what was going on, and it will be a time of my life I treasure forever. A video is featured below of the time we tested the ice at the Pike Pond.
If you want to get involved, jump onto X/Twitter and follow Thread of Gold HERE, where you can post something in the #SmallBeautiesHour and #SmallBeauties to help spread more light. With Clems 30th birthday coming up on the 30th of November, we can all come together and wish him the happiest of birthdays and spread his message as far and wide as we possibly can.
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