Art angels plan Covid-safe nativity

Children in Redbrook have started planning a Covid-safe nativity to bring hope and joy to their local community.

They are making tie-dye costumes and will be filming at a Redbrook Farm. This project, which is supported by the Mid-Wyedean Churches, and led by Mari Hutchings and Claudia Peake, has allowed children to learn and develop their artistic skills over lockdown and to take part in creative projects to make their communities smile.

Earlier in the year they held exhibitions of their work and over 200 people visited. Sue Sparkes, Parish churchwarden, was one of them: “I found it inspirational. It was a really good project: very inventive, creative and well structured. The activities were wide ranging and well adapted to the lockdown situation; linking with the wider local community. It gave skills and ideas that children could continue to use. The exhibition brought people into a church space that was ideal for the activity. There was a very welcoming atmosphere with tea, cakes and chat outside. I was fascinated to hear about how they had done it, and went away inspired to try some things myself ”.

Mari describes how the inside of the church was transformed for the exhibition: “Some of the families cleaned, others bought vases of flowers. Everyone seemed to feel it was their church. It was such a joy to see how incredibly proud the children were, they loved showing their work to friends and family. Archie gave guided tours, which delighted visitors. We had become closer as a community and we could look back at all the things we achieved during Lockdown; each work of art representing a point in that history.