It's been an incredibly tough time over these last few months. We have all weathered the same storm, but in very different boats. For adults, it is tricky enough to navigate. For the children, it has been confusing, frustrating and overwhelming.
Mhairi Stuart, a teaching assistant at Hotwells Primary school, had a great idea to enable children to reconnect in a safe and socially distanced way. With Anna Haydock-Wilson, we three made our way to the Cumberland Piazza, Hotwells, to provide an outdoor crafting activity, designed to assist with mental wellbeing, enable reconnection and facilitate play. The first, three dates were in July, with three additional sessions to run on 18th/ 19th/ 20th August from 11 -12pm.
Here is a wonderful time-lapse showing the first day the workshop ran, filmed by Little Fish films.
The creativity and productivity of the children during the July workshops was wonderful, the chance to interact with other chlidren in a safe space was immeasurable. One child, when asked if they had enjoyed themselves responded, "I have been happy all day".
The intention is to paint in some - if not all - of the chalk drawings, preserving them and creating a permanent artwork, documenting a journey across the piazza square.
