Creativity Works





Creativity Works Newsletter
September 2016 
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Blog
Director's Blog

With new Artists Training and Development Manager Sarah Gilmartin now in place and up to speed, we have been developing our co|Create programme and its' contents over the next 6 months. We want to continue to offer a broad array of training and networking events, creative conversations and debates and, importantly a much more comprehensive set of resources for socially engaged artists. 

We will be announcing this programme very soon and will include a further Creative Facilitation workshop, some Creative Practice Xchange sessions, learning from experienced artists working in the field of social practice, a Creative Conversation or two and networking events that are focused around visiting a cultural exhibition or event, just as we visited 'Hug' at The Egg this week. We will also have two co|Create sessions based on our work with Elders and the first in a new programme of training specifically in Creativity and Mental Health.
We are always very keen to hear from artists who have ideas for particular support, training or development needs, so do get in touch with Sarah or myself and look out for the new programme coming shortly.

To complement our co|Create programme, we're very much looking forward to hosting a new What Next? Chapter for the Bath and North East Somerset area on Friday 16th. It's a movement I have been watching from afar and am very pleased we are able to start one up here. The focus for this first meeting is Engagement. A huge topic I know, but one that is central to our work and one that is constantly being re-evaluated by arts organisations as well as social, civic and health organisations alike.

Cultural engagement has, I believe, become more of a political tool or mouthpiece since we have been talking about it in terms of health, wellbeing, social value and such like. Consequently, there are a plethora of studies and resources worldwide that usually, although of course I have not read them all, come to the same conclusion. Cultural engagement is good for us! Well, those of us who have worked in the arts and indeed those of us who have engaged in the arts all our lives have known this for a very long time. In fact early man knew this when he/she was painting beautiful pictures on cave walls. The task now, however, seems to be to quantify it and qualify it. And here is my dilemma: it is important to understand and to explore engagement. Tick. However, can the purity of the experience, the unknown quality of cultural experience, the unique individual or collective experience really be researched to the Nth degree and spat out in terms of data, reports and recommendations? I wonder if the mercurial nature of the artistic experience is the reason we have to constantly reiterate its definition, value and place in our society.

In Measuring Cultural Participation (2009 UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics handbook No.2) I am drawn to the very first question asked in this report, 'Why measure cultural participation?' The quote used to precis the answer to this question is taken from  Annamari Laaksonen's very interesting 2010 report, Making Culture Accessible' and reads:

"As we know, culture is not a static fact but a living organism and therefore our ways of participating also go through changes. What we probably all agree on is that we should be given the opportunity to have access, we should be able to choose whether or not to participate, and that all this should have a regulatory basis that ensures this in any given circumstances and to everyone. Public policies, especially cultural policies, should reflect and contribute to the construction of an enabling environment where rights to access and participation in cultural life are covered." 

This is a statement I tend to agree with and I am looking forward to hearing other views on engagement at our What Next? Chapter. I will report back next time!


Olly

(Director, Creativity Works) 
Wellbeing  
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Opportunity: Chair
Chair of the Board of Trustees, Creativity Works

We are looking to recruit a Chair of Trustees who will demonstrate the passion and commitment to progress the high quality work that Creativity Works is renowned for. You will have the strategic leadership skills and authority that is required for this small but dynamic, and high-achieving, organisation to flourish.

Creativity Works is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, supporting and developing artists who work in the field of socially engaged arts. We also deliver creative projects within Health and Wellbeing, including a highly successful commission from B&NES, the Mental Health Creative Support Service.

We are currently in a period of transition, building on our success as we look to secure a sustainable and expansive future. This entails the re-imagining of co|Create, our artists support programme, scoping the opportunities that the new Your Care Your Way commission may bring, expanding the delivery of our services to include young people and families and planning the redevelopment of a high-profile building. We will also be looking to maintain our NPO status beyond 2018 and to secure the funding and profile necessary to achieve our ambitious plans.

For the full Job Description please Click HERE  (this will download a PDF document)

For more information regarding the organisation please visit our website www.creativityworks.org.uk
 
If you are interested in this role, please send a CV and cover letter illustrating your suitability to our Director, Oliver Jones oliver@creativityworks.org.uk

If you require more details or would like to chat about the role, please do email Oliver to arrange a convenient time to talk with him or one of our current trustees.
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What Next? ChapterNext
Please come and join us at a new What Next? Chapter being set up in the South West.

What Next? is a movement bringing together arts and cultural organisations from across the UK, to articulate, champion and strengthen the role of culture in our society.

Date   Friday 16th September

Time   10.30am-1pm

Place Commons Room CM111, Bath Spa University, Newton Park Campus.

There is pay and display parking on-site and a regular bus service from Bath/Bristol
Please note that we have a strict limit to the amount of places available and they will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Please book your place here:


 
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The Radstock Arts Project - Call for ArtistsRadstock

The Radstock Arts Project is a new initiative to develop a vibrant, impactful and sustainable creative programme for the communities of Radstock and the wider Somer Valley. It will build on our existing work that we deliver within B&NES. It is an integral part of our ambition to be a centre of excellence in arts and wellbeing, incorporating creative delivery, collaboration & partnerships, research and impact. We anticipate that this programme will be the catalyst for the creative health and wellbeing programme in our new community hub, The Brunel Shed, a former train shed in Radstock.

Our initial focus will be on mental health and wellbeing, working with Children and Young People, as well as their families. This focus will broaden, entirely dependent on the established needs of the specific communities, to include work with young and single parents, perinatal work, Fathers and intergenerational work.

Activity

The creative activity that we are looking to commission must be innovative and engaging. It must also be adaptable to fit into our own creative methodology of Explore Develop Grow. This progression model encapsulates our socially engaged approach, listening and reacting to the needs of the community and participants, working 'alongside' them, whilst delivering high quality, exciting work with both artistic and social outcomes. Participants explore, develop and grow as creative people and as members of their community and family, and the activity must INSPIRE and EMPOWER them to do so.

For the Full Proposal please download the PDF here


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World Mental Health DayWMHD 
The theme this year is  psychological first aid.

The World Health Organisation recognises World Mental Health Day (WMHD) on 10 October every year as an opportunity to raise "awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilising efforts in support of mental health."

The theme for this year's World Mental Health Day, is  psychological first aid and the support people can provide to those in distress.

Creativity Works, along with partners AWP, St. Mungo's  and Bath Mind, are organising a range of activities on Saturday 8th October and the week of the 10th October to raise awareness during World Mental Health day and we'd love you to join us.



World Mental Health Day *******FLASH MOB*******

As part of the World Mental Health Day event on 08 October in Bath, AWP are planning a Flash Mob and everyone is invited to join in! No dancing experiance necessary!

It will happen around the Gazebo area at the bottom of Milsom Street.
 
Date - Saturday 8th October
Time - Approx 1:00 pm (to be confirmed)
 
The music being used is 'Fight Song' which is a really inspiring song about having 'a lot of fight left in me'. You can watch a video here 
 
There will be some simple dance moves for the chorus - where everyone who is interested can join in.   A small group of people will be at the front, leading - and the rest of us can follow/copy them.  
 
Please note - this is not intended to be an experienced dancers routine - anyone can do it.  A couple of workshops will be run for people to come along and have a go. 
 
Remember - its just for fun.  

The object of the Flash Mob is to send the message out to the public that there is no stigma around mental health.  There will be parts of the routine where selected people will hold small boards with messages.  If you are interested in joining in, please let Lee or Phoebe know and they will send you the instructional video and some further info/links to similar ideas that people have videoed and posted on youtube.
 
Please get involved, and ask your friends and family too.  The more the merrier.  Any age.

For more information please contact Lee Rawlings, Involvement Coordinator Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust Tel: 01225 362724 email: L.rawlings@nhs.net or Phoebe Kitcher email: Phoebe.Kitcher@MUNGOS.ORG
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Up Coming WorkshopsWorkshops
Get involved in something Creative this Autumn
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Snap & Stroll Exhibition At the Guildhall, BathSnapandstroll


Members of Snap and Stroll with Artist Sally Collister and Curator Kate Constantine.

Visitors to a new exhibition will see Bath through the eyes of people in the city recovering from mental health issues.
 
The exhibition, at the Guildhall, will feature digital photographs taken by 11 students on the Snap and Stroll Project.  Participants spent eight sessions exploring Bath, meeting people with the same interests and learning from each other.
 
The group's work went on show on August 17, in an exhibition curated by Bath College student Katie Constantine.  Carolyn Trippick took part in the project and is currently an inpatient at the STEPS eating disorder unit in Bristol.
 
She said: "It is surprising how powerfully effective photography is at building positive mental health. The project has helped provide my mind with a mental break from the relentless eating disorder and anxious thoughts that normally consume it.
 
"It helps you to see again, to really see, to be mindful in the moment and re-discover the beauty in your own surroundings.
 
"I hope to continue to use photography as a creative outlet to express myself and support my health and wellbeing."
 
Partnership agencies Creativity Works, Bath College, Julian House, Sirona Care and Health, Bath and North East Somerset Council and the Wellbeing College have all supported the Snap and Stroll project.
 
Sally Collister, from In the Picture Participatory Photography, was on hand during the sessions to offer practical advice.  She said: "I'm delighted that participants are getting this opportunity to share their work as the quality of photography is truly fabulous.  At the beginning some had hardly held a camera before, while others were keen photographers lacking confidence.  However, by the end of the course, though a series of workshop activities and location shooting around Bath, we had a team who could proudly call themselves photographers.  "It was such a pleasure watching their confidence build."

The exhibition includes popular Bath scenes, as well as unnoticed corners and fresh perspectives on everyday places.

Katie Constantine is putting together the exhibition and has just finished a six-month curatorship course at Bath College.  She said: " This will be my first exhibition since finishing the evening course at the college and I'm really excited to work with all of these artists.  The students should be very proud of the high quality work that they've produced. My aim is to help them collect their best works together, showing each individual's innovative vision of Bath."

The exhibition opened with a civic reception on Wednesday August 17 and will be open at the Guildhall until September 27.
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Volunteers WantedVolunteer
Call-out for Writing Space & Creative Volunteers 

Creativity Works is looking for volunteers to support upcoming Creative Courses and Writing Space, a peer-led writing group for those with lived experience of mental health challenges, that meets every Tuesday afternoon in Bath Central Library. 

Writing Space Volunteer

We are looking for someone with an enthusiasm for writing coupled with an ability to work alongside a group to help them communicate compassionately with each other, to develop their writing skills in a mutually supportive environment, to help them organise and attend events and submit work for publication. The ideal volunteer should have some experience of working with vulnerable adults, in a professional capacity or through supporting friends or family or of being supported themselves. The time commitment is 4-5 hours a week and would involve emailing the group once a week and supporting them in person every Tuesday afternoon during their creative session in Bath Central Library. Continuity is an important aspect of this role so ideally the volunteer would be able to commit to three months working with the group with the option to continue for longer. Interested individuals are invited to attend a Writing Space session with Camilla to see if it would be a good fit. 

Creative Volunteers
 
We are also looking for 2-3 creative volunteers to support our new season of courses starting at the end of September.

Illustration & Graphic Design opportunity

We are looking for an illustrator and a Graphic Designer, someone with a flare for design or someone who would like to develop their illustration skills and layout skills for a new Toolkit.

Creativity Works in partnership with St. Mungo's and community groups in Bath are creating a Toolkit for 'Creating a successful peer group'. We would like to include 8 - 10 simple images which will cover themes around people meeting together, welcoming others, making decisions. 
If you are interested in this new commission please contact Philippa for more information philippa@creativityworks.org.uk 01761 438852

Volunteering on creative projects

We would like to hear from you if you enjoy working with people, would like to share your creative skills and help people develop their own ideas. We currently have opportunities with the following groups: Kitchen Creations, textiles, photography and visual arts. The creative programme is always developing new projects across a wide range of art forms . Do get in touch if you have time to commit to volunteering and would like to become part of the Creativity Works volunteering team. 

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If you are interested in either volunteer role, please contact Camilla via email: camilla@creativityworks.org.uk or ring the office on 01761 438 852 and ask to speak with Camilla or Philippa for an informal chat. 

Creativity Works is committed to supporting the professional development of our volunteers offering an array of free training in safeguarding & boundaries, creative facilitation, mental health support and an up-to-date DBS. Our goal is to support volunteers to follow a self-defined pathway of creative, personal and professional progression. 

We look forward to hearing from you!

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Creativity Works & The South West Poetry TourPoetry



The main aim of the tour was to engage with and build upon the communities of poets within each area and across the region, encouraging cross-pollination and creative conversation through collaborative performance.
Creativity Works Volunteer Support Worker, Camilla Nelson, was co-creator of the event. 

" One of my key objectives for the Bath leg of the tour was to provide a platform for Writing Space members, a Creativity Works supported peer-led creative writing group, to create and perform their work. 

We were proud to include current Writing Space member, Tom Cook; founding member, Beverley Ferguson; dedicated Writing Space volunteer, Roz Mascal; and sometime Writing Space facilitator, Alyson Hallett, in the lineup of 22 emerging and established poets in Bath who created unique collaborations for performance." Said Camilla.

Tom Cook has very kindly written to share his reflections on the tour.

The South West Poetry Tour by Tom Cook

I recently took part in a South West Poetry Tour event which was held at the Bath Royal Literary  and Scientific Institute. It was a wonderful evening showcasing the work of  poets from all over the south west region.

We worked in pairs and there was a real emphasis on collaboration and experimentation. The work of the participating poets was very varied and of a brilliantly high standard.

I co-wrote and performed a seven minute collaborative piece with fellow poet Bart Breathnach. We wrote together, on the topic of building bridges, which seemed as good a theme as any and could be thought of as a metaphor for the collaboration process itself. Bart uses a typewriter in his performances (which I'd not seen done before) and this adds another dimension to the overall experience. There's something about the sound of the clicking keys which I find quite satisfying and almost hypnotic; like the back and forth of a table tennis game or the clinking of snooker balls.

Being part of such an event has really spurred me on to want to do more open mic sessions, recordings, and put together a book or pamphlet of my work.

There was a mixed media approach to many of the performances which worked particularly well. As I have said, Bart typed, and I attempted to type (jamming the keys), while others incorporated dance, photography, found material and inspiration from music into their work. The audience were very welcoming and the performances well received. It was clear that a good time was had by all.

Feedback was very positive. Some said that they liked how each performance was fairly brief which meant that more people could take part and there was no chance to get bored. Others said that they loved how each piece was different and really stood out. All seemed to agree that it was the combining of artistic mediums which made the night especially memorable. I feel that events like these do a great job in getting people more interested in contemporary poetry and helping to encourage and raise the profiles of up and coming writers and would be bards.

The South West Poetry Tour was a breath of fresh air and really blew the cobwebs away. I look
forward to future events and opportunities to hear more new and exciting material that will again
challenge my preconceptions about what poetry is, or should be.

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Plans to build on this energy and enthusiasm for poetry across the southwest are currently in development. 
Full videos of all of the performances, including the work by Tom Cook and Bart Breathnach, are available here:  http://www.theenemiesproject.com/southwest

Please email info@singingapplepress.com if you'd like to contribute to this South West Poetry momentum. 
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Profile: An Insight into Working with Creativity WorksProfile
A Focus on: Sarah Gilmartin,  Artists Training and Development Manager

What is your connection with Creativity Works?
 
I am the new Artists Training and Development Manager for Creativity Works' CoCreate Programme. 

How did you first come across Creativity Works?
 
Through my work as a Dance and Arts for Health Officer in Surrey, I was developing Cultural Commissioning and Social Prescribing and Creativity Works have been leading in both areas. 
  

What made you want to work with this organisation?

I feel passionately about the ability of engagement in a creative process through a participant/person centred approach to support individuals and communities to enable change and improve health and wellbeing. To do this well we need to support artists to develop their skills to be able to facilitate this process as I think it is only truly successful when it's a high quality creative experience which requires the artists to be great specialists in their art form/s as well as great facilitators - hence I am excited about my new role!

Which projects have you been involved with / how have you helped support Creativity Works?
 
The project I will be working on is CoCreate which will cross over many CW projects as we support artists and their development and training. 

What have you enjoyed the most about working with Creativity Works?
 
I am looking forward to being part of a vibrant Socially Engaged Artist community filled with debate, discussion and learning that enables artists to explore, develop and grow.

What have you found surprising about Creativity Works? 
 
The breadth of what it does and the wealth of knowledge and experience it holds. 

In what way has Creativity Works been of value or support to you?
 
It supports my goals of enabling more people to take part in a creative activity.

What has been your biggest professional, personal or creative achievement to date?
 
I am very proud of Surrey Dance Fest which took over GLive a large theatre complex in Guildford Surrey for a day, it offered opportunities for families and people of all ages and abilities to dance together, artists to create short site responsive solos around the building which aimed to demonstrate their 'Creative Voice', some large commissions including 'Grass' which took real turf into the Board Room and a commission by Katie Green involving 90 school children from 5 to 16 years of age - it was by far the best performance of a community dance piece I have seen and I am convinced it was due to Katie's ability to get the children to create, own and perform the material with pride and confidence. The whole building came alive, it was a huge undertaking but I am proud of the opportunities it provided.  

Katie Green's Imagination Museum, a family performance is at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery on 22 October 11am,1pm,3pm


Do you have any creative aspirations for the future (with or without Creativity Works)?
 
I would love to see dance and creativity become part of people's everyday lives again and enable more opportunities to see young and old dancing together.

Other
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Cultural Commissioning Case StudycaseStudy


A case study that the Cultural Commissioning Programme produced on Creativity Works has been used in the Social Care Institute for Excellence's Resources Library and can be viewed here:

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News, Useful Websites, Articles & Events News
Interesting links and opportunities from around the South West. Please do share with us any sites, articles and films you also find useful and inspiring.

Reading Well Service - Shelf Help

A new national scheme called Shelf Help which recommends reading to young people to help them understand and manage their mental health and emotional wellbeing has been launched.

The scheme is delivered by The Reading Agency in partnership with the Society of Chief Librarians, the Association of Senior Children's and Education Librarians and health partners.  

It complements existing local health services and is a simple way of delivering prevention and early intervention self-help care and support.  It can be used as part of a supported treatment programme. 

The Reading Well booklist of 35 titles provides young people aged 13 to 18 years with advice, information and support to help them to manage their mental health and resilience.  It covers 12 topics and conditions including anxiety, depression, self-harm, body image and eating disorders, as well as life experiences such as bullying. The booklist features self-help and psycho-education material, as well as memoirs, graphic novels and fiction.
Reading Well for young people works within NICE clinical guidelines.
 
The scheme is free to use.  
 
 
If you have any questions regarding the scheme  please contact  julia_burton@bathnes.gov.uk or  The Reading Agency atreadingwell@readingagency.org.uk
 
Community Choir

A brand new, non-audition Saturday morning community choir with a difference starts on Saturday 24 September at Theatre Royal Bath. Alongside learning to sing, having fun with a vintage and modern repertoire and improving your vocal technique, you'll get a chance to record your work, perform in a Christmas concert and join a company of actors to perform as part of a season of rep theatre next summer at the Ustinov in Bath.

Full details here - Community Choir


Alternative Visions Exhibition


Workshop with Kate Pawsey & Fiona Hamilton - Exploring Play through Creative Writing



Free Courses at Bath College

Lots of Free courses are running at Bath College this September & October. From Herbs, cooking, art to garden planning & design.

For more courses visit their website: www.bathcollege.ac.uk

5 Ways to Wellbeing Training
Doing Things Differently Events in Bristol

 
Bristol City Council and Diverse City are running Doing Things Differently in Bristol. Events start during the week of September 12th. Have a look at the programme, there are lots of exciting things happening! 
Doing Things Differently
Mentored induction into museum volunteering at The Holburne Museum

An exciting new opportunity at the Holburne Museum!
 
A new FREE course is starting:  Mentored induction into museum volunteering - with 5 spaces available for people with lived experience of mental health issues/ homelessness/ social isolation who would like to develop their skills and confidence.

The 5 participants will be paired with a trained Museum Mentor, have access to research materials and curators aswell as basic art materials and one session with an artist!
 
'A special opportunity for 5 people to take on a new creative challenge at the Holburne Museum.
Participants will take part in an exciting 3 month pilot project, developing their knowledge of the collection, learning about volunteering and engagement by working with a trained mentor.
Come to an informal meeting on Wednesday September 14, 2-3pm at the Holburne Museum to find out more.'
 
Deadline for applications : Friday 16 September

If you are interested in finding out more: phone Louise Campion on 01225 388566 or e-mail: l.campion@holburne.org

Volunteer Network Coordinator at St. Mungo's

Volunteer Network Coordinator
£12.27 per hour
Bath
Fixed-term contract until April 2017, with possible extension
 
18.75hrs per week/ 2.5 days a week
 
St. Mungo's are seeking a self-employed/contractor to fill this exciting new post. It has been created to develop a network of organisations, in Bath and NE Somerset, that support each other in the development of good practice in volunteer recruitment, training and support; resulting in volunteers having fantastic opportunities to develop and progress. As the Volunteer Network Coordinator, you will be supported in this role by the Volunteer Network steering group, the volunteer center and St Mungo's Bridges to Wellbeing manager.
 
To find out more and apply please go to  www.mungos.org/current_vacancies  
 
Closing date: 10.00am,  23rd  September 2016

Name change for Keep Safe Keep Sane

Keep Safe Keep Sane has changed its name. They are now called KS2Bath, keep supporting through knowledge and skills.


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Could You be a Trustee for Creativity Works?Trustee
Trustees Required
 

We are always looking to widen our Board of Trustees for Creativity Works and would welcome any expressions of interest. We are particularly looking for those with skills in the following areas:  

- Human Resources;
- Legal Services;
- Fundraising;
- Accounting;
- or the Visual Arts. 

  

You will be helping to lead a hard working, creative and dedicated team of staff, steering the way in the effective growth and promotion of this expanding organisation.

Trustees meet at least 6 times a year and we encourage engagement in particular areas of work and ongoing projects.

  

Further detail about our work is available on our website www.creativityworks.org.uk.


 

For more information please contact our Director, Oliver Jones (oliver@creativityworks.org.uk). If you would like to apply for a position as a Trustee, please send Oliver your CV and written application. Consideration of applications will be ongoing.

 
Please feel free to spread the word - you can download the advert here.OtherNews
MHFirstAid
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Join us on Instagram

Creativity Works are now on Instagram and we'd love to see you there too! 
Follow us @creativityworksUK.

You can also follow us on a desktop if you don't have the app on your phone. Use this link : CreativityworksUK
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With Best Wishes,

The Creativity Works Team


For more information:
Tel: 01761 438852

Email: info@creativityworks.org.uk 

Supported by Bath & North East Somerset Council and Arts Council England

 

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Creativity Works | 01761 438852 | info@creativityworks.org.uk | http://www.creativityworks.org.uk
Leigh House
1 Wells Road
Radstock
Bath, BA3 3RN
Supported by:

BANES-Council


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Registered Charity No. 1075812 Company No. 3768255 Creativity Works for Everyone is a company limited by guarantee registered in England