A Warm Welcome
Blog by Helen Willmott, Director at Made With Many
We all know too well the current challenges facing communities across North Northamptonshire, as we prepare for winter with an ever-rising cost of living. We know that local residents are increasingly concerned about how they are going to manage everyday tasks like heating their houses, doing the food shop and filling their car with petrol. And we’ve been involved in conversations with local charities and community groups about initiatives to help, such as ‘warm banks’, places where the community can visit to stay warm throughout winter if they can’t heat their own houses. We’re worried and we believe that the need for these types of programmes is deeply unjust.
However, it is the situation we’re in right now and the reality that most of us are facing as winter gets closer. We also know that cultural activities, going to the theatre, cinema or taking part in a workshop, are increasingly becoming an unaffordable ‘luxury’ expenditure. But we also know that these type of experiences bring great value to people’s lives. They can provide fun and enjoyment, be a moment of escapism or help people to process the reality of their lives, be a place to meet others and to bring communities together. And we think that should be for everybody.
So we’re working on a plan to make that a reality. We already have a range of free to access workshops planned for the coming months, whether that’s for families with pre-school children through the Bub Club in Wellingborough, new plans for youth arts activity or workshops at the new KHL Community Workshop in Corby. And we’re thinking about how we partner with local charities, community centres and libraries to help those most in need of support to access the wellbeing benefits of creativity.
If you’ve got any ideas, we’d love to hear them! You can contact us on info@madewithmany.org or call the office on 01536 267895.
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Published 15th September 2022