Help needed to fund innovative Exmouth community arts and crafts bus

A group of community artists and craft creators who have been delivering free arts and crafts kits to Exmouth families is looking for help funding a mobile arts and crafts community bus.

The Little Secret Craft and Design Studio is working with Natwest to crowdfund £10,000 to make the bus a reality.

The group specialises in therapeutic arts and crafts to help people get creative and 'gently' promote mental wellbeing in a fun environment.

The Little Secret Craft and Design Studio has been working in the Exmouth community for a number of years now and is always trying to reach new people.

The new initiative is part of a community movement called 'Isolation Community Creations'.

Hayley Watson told Nub News: "So far, up to date, we have issued over 300 free Arts and craft kits to families isolated, along side schools with disabilities, nursing homes and mental health groups.

"We have over 150 on our waiting list and it's growing each day, if you know anyone in need of our art packs for mindfulness and wellbeing please get in touch.

"We know that time stuck in the house with children, or on our own can feel overwhelming and lonely. We want to encourage people to stay connected even through a time of distance. Maybe you can learn a new skill, take some time to be mindful or just have fun."

"My inspiration for starting the Art and Crafts community bus was watching my mum deteriorate with Parkinson's Disease. It made me determined to bring arts and crafts to the most vulnerable and isolated in our community.

"My mum was a vibrant, outgoing woman who would regularly attend events in the community. When she got ill and became immobile it was devastating for her as she was lonely, isolated and bored with life. I was thankfully able to do therapeutic art sessions from her armchair at home even into the later stages of her illness.

"It gave her real joy and purpose in a time when there was not a lot of joy or purpose to her life. It would give me so much pleasure to see the same difference made to others in the community, as it did my mum before she finally passed away."

If you would like to check out the group's Facebook page click here. If you would like to donate to the crowdfunding project, click here.