Craft group secures National Lottery Funding as they near their second Birthday
Discover Craft have been creative in finding ways to raise funds for their groups, which run in Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and Desborough, but were beginning to think their days were numbered as funds started to run out. They host creative experiences to nurture the soul, for anyone who needs to discover how crafting can give a vital boost.
Many clients have long-term health conditions, and some have spent long periods isolated at home before discovering the group and what it had to offer. Lots of friendships have been made and thousands of items made and taken home to be looked at with pride. These items serve as a reminder of what they have achieved with a little guidance. The group believes in empowering their clients who are encouraged to start helping when they feel able. Their sense of fun and community shines through their social media and they have a presence on Facebook, Instagram and even TikTok.
The funding will secure the groups future for two years and they look forward to spreading even more crafting love in their community.
We asked group founder, Tammy Grigg, some questions about Discover Craft and their future plans.
How did the group start out?
Discover Craft was founded in 2019. We became a constituted community group in January 2023. The committee is made up of clients who have enjoyed the groups and wanted to help the group grow and flourish.
Where next for the group?
There have been lots of requests for an evening group, and we are excited to announce we now meet at Chapter One Cafe in Corby Old Village on a Thursday night from 5pm to 8pm.
Are the groups free?
The ones during the daytime in the week are free. The new evening group will have a small subsidised charge of £3. This is because we will be doing more advanced projects, requiring more materials.
How have you been managing to keep the groups free?
We host quiz nights and Bingo evenings. The Cannon in Wellingborough, where we meet on a Wednesday afternoon, has been our biggest supporter by hosting these for us. They have even given us a little space in the pub, where we have set up a craft thrift store. These are items which have kindly been donated to us and everything is being sold for just 50p.
Recently, we have added some items made by the clients to this, to raise further funds, and we now also sell some of these items in Revive Coffee Shop in Desborough, where we meet on a Monday afternoon. The clients have enjoyed being able to help raise funds and really taken ownership of the little project.
We have also been lucky enough to have pitched successfully at Kettering Cake in 2024 and this year we were one of the lucky charities to benefit from fundraising done by the Veterans Wargames Association.
So, have you any plans to celebrate your 2nd birthday and your lottery funding?
To celebrate our first birthday, we set ourselves a challenge to knit or crochet as many bonding squares as we could and in May, we donated dozens of pairs to Kettering SCBU. I feel it needs to be pretty special to top that. I was thinking we could do something to help other community groups raise some funds as we understand just how incredibly difficult this is. Watch this space!
Where can people access the group?
Groups currently run;
Monday 9.30 to 11.30
O'Neills Cafe Corby
Monday 12.30 - 2.30
Revive Cafe Desborough
Wednesday 9.30 - 11.30
2nd and 4th Wednesday
Cornerstone Corby
Wednesday 12.30 - 2.30
Cannon Wellingborough
Thursday 5 - 8
Chapter One Cafe Corby
£3 charge - booking advised
Friday 10 - 12
The Warren Kettering
We would like to thank all our venues for their support with special thanks to Ash and Bruce at the Cannon in Wellingborough for all their support and encouragement. The thrift shop is open, in the pub, every day from 11am to 11pm
Also thanks to Daren, Alex and the team at O'Neills, Corby as well as the team at Revive in Desborough and also Caroline and team at Cornerstone Church in Corby.