Crafts with Love – Charity number – 103747
Trustees Report
1[st] September 2023 to 31[st] August 2024
Crafts with Love is a voluntary community organisation which is open to everyone regardless of age, ability, colour, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, political opinion, ethnic origin or disability. We are a constituted group and meet in a neighbourhood renewal area of Coleraine, which has an ageing population, and where there are high levels of unemployment, sickness and isolation.
We meet in Coleraine West Community Centre once a week where we provide a comfortable safe venue for our members to socialise and learn new skills. We offer an active crafting environment, providing a framework for cross community relations, social interaction and networking while developing arts and craft based projects.
The purposes of the charity are to alleviate loneliness, isolation, advance education and promote health and wellbeing to those living within Coleraine and the greater Causeway Coast and Glens area.
Trustees in office as follows: Betty Gilkinson (Chairperson), Elizabeth Nevin (Secretary), Roberta Campbell (Treasurer), Margaret Creighton, June Baird and Prunella McCausland. All trustees give of their time freely and none are paid.
In order to achieve our objectives, we organise a range of different craft workshops, including knitting, crochet, quilting, embroidery, patchwork, jewellery making, flower arranging and paper crafts. Our sessions are aimed at providing activities at a level to suit all participants. We encourage members to learn new skills and socialise, which in turn improves their health and well being, builds their confidence and extends their friendships. We provide door to door transport where necessary which ensures that mobility is not a barrier. This is invaluable in keeping our elderly members involved and active. Light refreshments are provided at all sessions.
Those who benefit from these sessions are the elderly and vulnerable members of the community, people with caring responsibilities, disabilities, isolated people and those with ethnic minority backgrounds. These sessions also help to keep traditional and modern crafting alive.
In the past financial year we received £998 funding through Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing and Suicide Prevention. This will go towards venue hire, refreshments, an activity session, speakers and craft materials. It has also allowed us to purchase a selection of board games which will boost the mental wellbeing of our members.
The Community Fund grant received in financial year 2022-23 was used for tutors, Liz Weir (storytelling), Andy (container planting), Denise Weir (Stitch and Story) and Macrame. It also allowed us to have an afternoon tea to celebrate our 20[th] anniversary and helped cover the cost of our Christmas lunch.
This financial year we raised £1603 from the sale of crafts made by the ladies in our group, £200 from donations, £105 through the sale of a quiz sheet and £60 from charity tins in a local shop.
In the 2023-24 financial year we gave £2,000 to the charity Hope and Light. This charity offers hope, safety and a better future to trafficked and exploited women and children across Asia.
Signed
Roberta Campbell