We’re thrilled to announce that we have been awarded a grant of just under £10,000 from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust. This will fund a new project to work with veterans using arts activities to tackle feelings of isolation, create a sense of community and enhance wellbeing.
The grant has been awarded under the Forces Communities Together Programme strand of The Armed Forces Covenant Trust. The project will be called Appetite At Home with North Staffs Veterans and will deliver tasty selection boxes full of arts activities developed by professional artists’ into veteran’s homes. Designed to stimulate the senses and get the creative juices flowing, this project, developed in partnership with the Tri Services and Veteran Support Centre based in Newcastle-under-Lyme, will see a series of online sessions take place with veterans and their families with a key aim to bring people together and aide integration into civilian community life, for veterans aged 33 to 100.
To help deliver this 6-month project, we will also renew our partnership with GRAIN, an arts organisation dedicated to growing and supporting photography. Using their expertise GRAIN will work with veterans and their families to develop photography skills.
Gemma Thomas, Appetite Director said “We are so pleased that the funding from the Trust will enable us to deliver this project and are really looking forward to working with the Tri-Services & Veteran Support Centre and the Veterans. We are very used to working with communities all over Stoke-on-Trent but this is a new venture for us, we cannot wait to bring the Veteran community the arts activities and develop an Appetite for the arts at home. We are so grateful to the Tri Services and Veteran Support Centre and GRAIN for working with us on this and to the Trust for funding us. We are looking forward to getting started, meeting new people and creating long-lasting relationships.”
Nicola Shipley, Director of GRAIN said “We are really looking forward to working with veterans and their families in the local area. The project will enable everyone to share photographs from their albums and collections, to tell stories and share experiences and will also allow them to develop new skills and make new photographic artworks that depict their lives. Online activities have become vital to enable people to feel connected and to ensure people still have the opportunity to be creative. It’s a great opportunity to build on the work we have been doing with older people and their families and we very much look forward to collaborating with Appetite again on this new and unique project.’
Trevor Bailey on behalf of the Trustees of Tri Services said “We are excited to be involved with Appetite in this venture. One of the main things about the current lockdown conditions is keeping the mind active, and helping to alleviate boredom within the veteran community. This is a big step in helping with this situation.”
We are starting the Appetite at Home project later this month. Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date!
Top image: Forgotten Places: Falling in Love with Stoke Again, 2016, Clara Lou Photograpy
