Getting Crafty for Christmas

Published by Sandeep for Riverside in Housing and also in Communities

Riverside and Soft Touch Arts teamed up this week to encourage residents and tenants on the Kirby Frith Estate to take part in a coffee morning and to make their own Christmas cards and gifts.

Riverside provided £257 in funding to Soft Touch Arts, local arts and community development organisation to host the event on Wednesday (7^th December) around the Kirby Frith Estate. 

Soft Touch Arts bought along their mobile arts studio to use as the meeting area for women and their children from the estate.  There were free cakes and tea on offer, with a chance to chat to other people.  They also had the opportunity to take part in craft activities such as making Christmas cards & presents.

Rupa Chandarana, Riverside Community Projects Co-ordinator said: “We wanted to engage with the tenants in the area who we normally don’t see and get their thoughts about any issues they may have.  Soft Touch Arts is a well known and establish organisation that helps to engage with hard to reach people to get them involved in their community.”

The mobile art studio was parked on Carnoustie Road and five families visited the van over the 2 hours.

Christina Wigmore, Business & Strategic Director of Soft Touch Arts said: “This was a great opportunity to work in partnership with Riverside and extend the use of our MASH-UP Streetvan to reach and engage parents and children.  The van is usually seen out and about on Friday and Saturday nights in New Parks and other areas of Leicester and the County engaging young people in positive creative activities on the streets.”