People are being urged to back an ambitious fundraising campaign to provide 16,000 activity packs to vulnerable and isolated families and individuals in Norfolk this December - but it needs your support to make it a reality.
The Norfolk Creativity Collective, a working group of representatives from local arts organisations, charities, and community groups, launched the Let's All Create #MakeItMerry campaign this week.
The group, which is the brainchild of Young Norfolk Arts Trust and Festival Bridge, aims to raise £20,000 by Monday, December 21, to provide a 32-page activity booklet, which includes challenges set by Norfolk Museums Service, Creative Arts East and The National Centre for Writing, and the basic art materials, such as paper, pencils, and glue, required to complete the challenges.
The packs will be shared via a network of partners across the county, including Food Banks and other frontline community organisations, with key distribution points in Norwich, Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn.
The project comes hot on the heels of regional and national initiatives by many arts organisations, who provided similar materials during the first lockdown and summer holidays.
Lucy Farrant, director of Young Norfolk Arts Trust, said: "I'm proud of the response that local arts organisations have already made during the pandemic.
"At a time when many of those organisations are facing numerous challenges, it has been heartening to see us uniting to ensure that the families and individuals we would normally be able to support in person can engage with their creativity at home."
The Let’s All Create #MakeItMerry campaign is asking local people, who can, to donate £5 to directly towards the cost of providing an activity pack and art materials.
Feedback from previous campaigns shows the impact of being able to access creativity during Covid times with one Youth Group member describing it as "well good".
"I do art in my spare time. I never usually get things like this."
While a youth worker added: "Two young people were able to use the packs to support their mental health, not being able to access art therapy during lockdown."
And a local head teacher said: "We have had some amazing feedback from our vulnerable families about the packs that were delivered. They loved the games and activity books."
Donations to the project can be made through Crowdfunder here until 9am on Monday, December 21.
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