Family Arts Festival on Saturday 1st July 2023 at Pen Green Centre, celebrated their 40th anniversary in Corby with a free day full of incredible performances, wonderful characters and exciting activities for the whole family to enjoy!
We took over the building and gardens, filling nooks and crannies with a whole day of fun and creativity, including lots of activities made with children with additional needs in mind.
Read our blog about Family Arts Festival: The Power of Partnership
“It’s remarkable that we have been able to celebrate 40 years of Pen Green with such a great celebration which really honoured the occasion and far surpassed our expectations. We are extremely grateful for the collaborative relationship that we have with Made With Many and coming together we’ve been able to offer such a wide range of arts and performers for children and families across the whole of the county.”
Angela Prodger (Joint Head of Pen Green)
Film
Film by Michal Spišiak – RYG Films
Photos
Photos by Adam Balcomb – ABDigitalUK
Photos by Kate Dyer – Corby Community Arts
About Pen Green
The Pen Green Centre for Children and Families was opened in 1983. From the very beginning staff and local parents created an organisation in which nursery education, family support, and adult community education could be combined under one roof as a fully integrated and comprehensive service in a town facing huge socio-economic challenges.
Pen Green has always been a fully integrated centre for children and families and we continue to pioneer innovative and effective ways of working with the most disadvantaged families. We have a local, regional and national reputation as one of the most successful centres in the UK.
Our vision is to inspire, challenge and innovate to improve outcomes for all children but specifically the most vulnerable children and their families.
Pen Green Celebrates 40 years of Outstanding Practice
The Pen Green Centre for Children and Families was conceptualised and opened in 1983 by Dr Margy Whalley CBE (find out more about Margy on page 38 – 41 of our Living Legends book). From the very beginning staff and local parents created an organisation in which nursery education, family support, and adult community education could be combined under one roof as a fully integrated and comprehensive service in a town facing huge socio-economic challenges.
“This community’s children, families and staff live and work in homes and buildings. These buildings form streets. The streets form a community which has its own story and so does Pen Green.”
Pen Green Curriculum Document, 1983
The principle functions of the Centre have remained constant over the last 40 years. We have maintained our principles of operation; withstood radical changes in local and national government; responded creatively to new legislation and to major demographic changes, and influenced national government policy in early years.
Pen Green has always been a fully integrated centre for children and families and continues to pioneer innovative and effective ways of working with the most disadvantaged families. We have a local, regional and national reputation as one of the most successful centres in the UK.
As we celebrate our 40th year, we recognise the determination and passion of staff and governors that have been part of the Pen Green history and the generations of families that have shaped the services we offer. We also acknowledge the powerful impact of so many educational pioneers, researchers, theorists and philosophers on our thinking and in shaping the services that we offer.
“Pen Green is characterised by its passion and commitment to meet the needs of every child. The centre serves a diverse community and has a well-deserved global reputation for the quality of learning and teaching that children enjoy. Parents and the local community are deeply engaged in the work of the centre. Pen Green’s influence stretches well beyond its own boundaries and the centre has influenced and guided the work on early education here in the UK and beyond.
Times Educational Supplement, 2018