News

September 2022

Archive

Case Study: United African Association
Published 27/09/22
About the Group

United African Association (UAA) advise, support, advocate for and represent the African community. They promote community cohesion through events, projects and activities that showcase African culture and heritage.

Their current activities include providing African food parcels, supporting the food beneficiaries and wider community with various issues, signposting to other organisations and telephone befriending services.

Support required

UAA required funding to purchase African food items to continue providing food parcels to those faced with the worst food poverty in the community and support those referred trough GPs, Health Clinics, Mental Health Nursing staff, Northamptonshire Children’s Trust and social services whose service users are not eligible for Local Authority assistance.

What was achieved through the grant
Over 400 beneficiaries have benefitted from the grant with the majority of food parcels being provided to African beneficiaries who are facing employment shortages and are unable to access benefits because of their immigration status.

Improvements in individuals’ diets were reported as well better access to health food. Other advantages reported included enhanced physical health or well-being with just under half the beneficiaries confirming that they felt less lonely.

UAA have also been able to purchase special provisions for the Ramadan period and Eid Festival as requested by the African Muslim community.

Read More
Case Study: Laugh Out Loud Theatre
Published 20/09/22
About the Group

Laugh Out Loud Theatre are a non-profit theatre company whose aim is to bring theatre back into the community within the county for everyone to enjoy. They want to make theatre affordable and accessible to all. Their shows are designed and written to maximise audience engagement and participation. They want the community to feel a part of the work they create.

Support required

Laugh Out Loud Theatre required funding to enable them to write and perform a new 30 minute family friendly play for the Queen’s Jubilee which included real stories from the local community and celebrates Queen Elizabeth’s Reign with a focus on how she actively engages with people on a personal level.

Laugh Out Loud Theatre wanted the performance to be packed with fun, joy and nostalgia to appeal to all ages and help bring back some solidarity into the local community which has been affected by the pandemic over the last two years. They wanted the play to be performed outside to ensure it was more accessible to those who are still uncomfortable going into a more traditional theatre space. They also wanted the piece to be performed across the county in various parishes over the June Bank Holiday weekend as a free event for the public which would allow those from low income homes to access the show.

What was achieved through the grant

Laugh Out Loud Theatre performed the brand new 30-minute piece of theatre entitled 'Her Majesty's Shoes' in four venues across Northamptonshire - Kettering Arts Centre, Irthlingborough Community Centre, Stanwick Village Hall and Quinton Village Hall. The show involved five stories about the Queen that were given to them by members of our local community. There were four professional actors involved in the cast and a volunteer technician for each show. The cast encouraged members of the audience up on stage at certain points throughout the show to perform alongside them.

The show was very well received by those who came to watch and appealed to more than just the usual theatre goers and perhaps introduced the notion of theatre and acting to a new generation of children who would not have had the opportunity to see theatre or be involved with it otherwise.

Because the show was 30-minutes in length, free to the public and performed in outdoor spaces, it was accessible for all. People with learning difficulties, such as ADHD or Autism, were able to get involved without it being too overwhelming. The production brought back a lot of memories for our older audience members, and it was a celebration of nostalgia which really resonated with people both young and old.

The first (premiere) show at Kettering Arts Centre was filmed for people who could not attend any of the shows in person and this can be viewed for free on their YouTube channel: 'Her Majesty's Shoes' live performance. - YouTube

Read More
Arts Council England 'Let's Create Jubilee' grant funds Community Tree of Hope unveiled in Kettering
Published 06/09/22
A six-foot Tree of Hope has been officially unveiled in Kettering – designed as a legacy of hope post covid.

The tree, weaved from willow and made possible thanks to a £10,000 Arts Council England grant, is set in the grounds of Groundwork Northamptonshire’s community green space, The Green Patch.

left to right – Kimberley Lawson from Groundwork, Fern Gibson from NCF,
Groundwork CEO Kate Williams on the right

The unveiling took place during a community picnic, attended by local families and volunteers. The tree, designed by a local artist, is decorated with dozens of wooden and laminated leaves, all created by local people. Some are dedications to a loved one, others are reflections on the struggles of the past couple of years, while some are inspirational message of hope.

Grey Lindley, Manager of The Green Patch, said: “Our wonderful tree is designed to celebrate the Jubilee and to leave lasting legacy to mark the occasion and of hope - capturing ideas and dreams for the future.

“Groundwork Northamptonshire has a history of successfully working with and supporting children and young people, socially isolated adults, those with additional needs and families who are struggling with food and fuel poverty. We are incredibly proud to have to nurtured this creative and innovative approach to the arts. Trees are incredibly symbolic and can give so many messages of hope for the future.”

Fern Gibson, Marketing, Communications and Event Manager for Northamptonshire Community Foundation, added: “It was humbling to attend the official unveiling of this ‘Tree of Hope’ and to see this unique piece of art which is covered in inspirational messages from the local community. The piece really does instil hope for the future after what has been a tough few years for all.

“It will be a special place for people to come, reflect and look forward whilst children will be able to use the space to play, dream and be inspired. The piece really does celebrate hope and community and we are delighted to help support this project through the distribution of the Arts Council England’s ‘Let’s create Jubilee Fund’ in the county.”

The ‘Tree of Hope’ project was funded through Northamptonshire Community Foundation by the Arts Council England ‘Let’s Create Jubilee’ fund, which aimed to ensure that thousands of people from communities across England had the opportunity to take part in exciting creative events – all in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee.

The grant provided funding for a Jubilee picnic and celebration which saw the launch of the event, the commission of the tree structure itself as well as a series of co-creation workshops with professional artists in which Green Patch users designed and created the leaves for the ‘Tree of Hope’ structure.

You can visit the Tree of Hope by dropping down to the Green Patch any Tuesday or Thursday between 10am-2pm. Please see www.greenpatch.org.uk for further details.

Read More