The #BigADHDFundraiser: Why David Kirkman is Getting Involved
Back in November 2025 David and I first collaborated on his range creating wearable art for everyone.
I love the passion David shows in his work and how caring he is towards his community.
David has decided to donate 20% of his profits to a charity very close to his heart.
Here is what he has to say-
David - I'm proud to be part of this year's #BigADHDFundraiser, raising money for two incredible charities: ADHDAF+ and ADHDadultUK — organisations doing vital, real-world work supporting adults with ADHD across the UK.
This year's fundraiser uses all four elements, with participants taking on epic challenges: cycling 200 miles from Newcastle to Ayr (Earth), a skydive from 13,000 feet (Air), and swimming 11,111 metres (Water).
My contribution is simple — 20% of profits from every Unapologetic clothing sale goes straight to the fundraiser. Always. Not just in October.
So you don't need to wait. Every time you buy one of these you're already helping. Shop now, start making a difference today, and let's build something brilliant together before the big push in October.
Sam- that’s incredible David. What made you choose these charities?
David- It's completely personal. My son and I are both AuDHD, and when you live it every single day — not just read about it but actually live it — you understand how much support is missing for so many people. The diagnosis waiting lists, the lack of understanding, the number of adults who have no idea why they've struggled their whole lives. These charities are doing genuinely important work to change that. My art has given me a platform and this felt like the most honest and meaningful way to use it.
Sam- Can you tell us about your diagnosis — only if you're comfortable?
David- Completely comfortable — honestly I'll talk about it all day because I think it matters.
I was diagnosed at 39. My son was diagnosed first and that led me to get assessed myself. Turns out I have both ADHD and autism — AuDHD. And looking back, so much of my life suddenly made sense. For years I thought I was just chaotic, overly emotional, immature, too much. I didn't understand myself. I used alcohol as a crutch. I struggled in ways I couldn't explain to anyone, including myself. I just thought that was who I was — and not in a good way.
Since my diagnosis everything has shifted. I'm on medication, I drink less, I've lost weight, my mental health is genuinely better. But the biggest thing — the thing I didn't expect — was understanding my art. The way I create, the intensity of it, the boldness, the fact I physically cannot make anything quiet or beige or safe — that's not a quirk or a style choice. That's my brain. That's how I'm wired. And once I understood that, I understood why I make what I make.
My art is for the people who doubt themselves. The ones who hide, who shrink, who've spent decades thinking something is fundamentally wrong with them. I was that person. My work is a reminder — on your wall, in your space, every single day — that being unapologetically yourself isn't something to fix. It's something to celebrate. That's not a tagline. That's the entire point.
Sam- How does it feel when someone connects with your work?
David- It's the best feeling in the world. Full stop. Nothing comes close to it.
I'm not making wallpaper. I'm not filling a space above a sofa. I put something real into every single piece — emotion, energy, lived experience — and when someone feels that, when they stop in front of a painting and something in them responds to it, that exchange is everything. That's why I do this.
I've had people tell me a piece made them cry. I've had people say they stand in front of it every morning and it sets them up for the day. I've had collectors message me months after buying to say it still gets them. That never gets old. Every single time it means as much as the first time. You can't manufacture that kind of connection and you can't put a price on it either. It's the whole reason I became a full time artist and it's the reason I'll never stop.
Sam- Is there somewhere people can donate?
David- Yes absolutely — and thank you for even asking that, it genuinely means a lot.
every purchase from the Unapologetic clothing range automatically puts 20% of profits directly to the charities, so buying something you love means you're contributing at the same time.
You can also donate at - https://givestar.io/gs/david-kirkman--unapologetic-
Thank you David for your hard work and creating awareness in the world about art and neurodiversity.
Sam x