I run a wide variety of Arts and
Crafts classes in the local community with both public and private funding.
These are important to help empower people to build crafts and creative skills. When a group first
meets, the conversation can be around self doubt in their own skills and, with
a thoughtful and listening approach I then encourage individuals and groups to
try new skills and push gently out of their comfort zone to try creative skills
and express themselves in arts and crafts. This leads to an improvement in well-being and happiness. Most people come to try a new skill but leave with a sense
a better sense of how to express themselves through creative activities. I
teach sewing and Dressmaking at Glocscol as part of their Adult leisure
learning programme. I also work with adult and children’s school and community
groups on a wide variety of craft courses, such as mosaic, textile arts, drawing,
recycled jewellery making etc.
This Community woodwork group were keen to raise some money for a local charity and produce these small decorative trees to sell at Christmas. It gave the group a great sense of community to produce these trees which sold out! Other groups have followed successful commercial projects as well, including producing recycled jewellery and decorating bags for life.