I believe that art is fundamental to our mental health, that it can provide therapy for those in need, and that it should be accessible to all.

I run art workshops in my community using my 18 years of experience teaching art in a range of secondary schools in the UK and from my 2 years teaching in Africa.

So far I have led printing, crafting and making, drawing and pottery workshops with a range of people such as elderly people with dementia, young children and their families and with adults who want to develop their skills in an informal setting. I have worked with care providers and done classes in community centres and bars.

Because I hope for everyone to be able to access the arts, I want to make these classes affordable to all. Firing artwork using other studios’ kilns is extremely expensive. If I had my own kiln, this cost would significantly drop: a saving I can pass on to those who attend the groups. This would make these hands on experiences even more accessible to those living in deprived areas and those with limited funding and enable me to run pottery workshops more frequently, giving a wider range of people access to the tactile experiences gained by working in this medium.