We have some lovely news to share. Mindful Art Club has been awarded a grant from The Plymouth Astor Trust, and we couldn’t be more grateful.
The Trust received 44 applications this year, asking for over £108,000 in total, so we know how much good work is going on across our city and how hard the Trustees’ choices must have been. To be among those chosen feels like a big vote of confidence in what we do.
Our grant has been used to fund art materials, flyers and planning for our women’s art group on Friday afternoons. That might not sound like the stuff of headlines, but anyone who has been to one of our sessions knows how much it matters. Pens and paper on the table mean nobody has to bring anything but themselves. Flyers on noticeboards and in GP surgeries help us reach the people who need us most, often those who would never think of themselves as “arty” (which, for the record, is exactly who we love to welcome). And good planning means every session feels calm, ready and safe from the moment you walk through the door.
Greenspace, Mutley Plain.
The Greenspace is a community space and arts and craft shop. Our women’s art group is held in the upstairs room.
On Fridays 1.00pm – 2.30pm we invite you to connect with other women and discover new ways of practising self-care through easy art and mindfulness exercises. Practice being here in the present moment, and accept where you are right now, without self-judgement.
A special afternoon at Elliot Terrace
On Thursday 24th September, our co-director Emma Sprawson represented Mindful Art Club at a certificate presentation at Elliot Terrace, the former Plymouth home of the Astor family. Certificates were presented by the Lord Mayor of Plymouth in recognition of the work grant recipients do in the community.
Emma met the Trustees and the Trust’s Honorary President, Alice Astor, granddaughter of Nancy, Lady Astor, the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons. Emma was photographed with Alice Astor and the Lord Mayor, and spent the afternoon chatting with people from charities and community organisations all over Plymouth. It was a real reminder that we’re part of a much bigger network of people trying to make this city a kinder place.
Thank you
A huge thank you to Wendy Gibson and the Trustees of The Plymouth Astor Trust for believing in Mindful Art Club. We’ll put every penny to good use, and we can’t wait to show you what it helps us create.
If you’d like to come along to one of our free sessions, you don’t need any art experience at all. Just come as you are. Reserve a free place.
