Mum helps launch five new craft groups in Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough

Tammy Grigg won £13,000 of funding from the Well Northants grant and is excited to announce the launch of five new weekly craft groups starting next month.

These groups aim to ease loneliness and bring the community together in some of Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough’s most deprived areas.

There will also be two school holiday groups, which will start in August to inspire families to craft together.

It comes after Tammy sought help for a dip in her mental health at the beginning of 2022.

Through her doctors, she was put in touch with SPRING, the Social Prescribing Charity, partnered with Age UK in Corby and Kettering and with Northamptonshire Carers in Wellingborough.

With their help and support she set up a craft group which has gone from strength to strength.

This group has since helped more than three dozen clients regain confidence, make friends and with each completed project, every week, given them a huge sense of accomplishment.

She has since bought her crafting experiences to The Cornerstone Methodist Church as well as Corby Library.

It soon became apparent the real need for Tammy's experiences to reach even more people so she has empowered some of her clients to take over the overseeing of the group, while continuing to supply the ideas and materials to see each project through.

The clients also have full support from Tammy who was then able to set up another group at the Grange Primary Academy Community Hub which is now run by previous clients with the help of one of the dedicated SPRING keyworkers as well as take over the establised Crafternoon run by the keyworkers from Northants Carers.

At the end of last year, Tammy was inspired by one of the posters asking for people or groups to apply for a Well Northants Grant to set up groups dedicated to help some of Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough’s most deprived estates.

She successfully applied for £13,000 worth of grants to set up a new free weekly craft group for Hazel Leys and Kingswood in Corby, Avondale and Grange in Kettering as well as Victoria in Wellingborough.

The presentation for the funding of the group in Wellingborough was by Tammy's twin daughters Isobel and Jessica who are 13.

They did their mum proud and Tammy has posted a video of their presentation on Tik Tok.

Tammy says this is testament to the empowering ethos behind her vision and she is proud of her daughters’ entrepreneurial spirit.

The girls love nothing more than to help their mum at the groups and are looking forward to August when their mum also runs two school holiday groups, of which funding was won for Corby and Kettering.

They are always helping prepare, making samples or making up packs ready to be enjoyed.

It is down to how the girls have flourished with craft in their lives which inspired Tammy to set up the holiday groups to inspire families to craft together.

She said: "This won't be a group to drop your child off for a break.

"This will be a hands on, very messy, possibly glittery experience.

"It is hoped parents will go away feeling empowered as to how they can all craft again together at home.”

Tammy hopes to back this up with regular inspiration on her social media, mainly Facebook and Tiktok currently.

Before the fun of the summer can start, the new weekly groups need to get going.

Tammy has already spent weeks sourcing low cost, quality materials and researching, testing ideas and many of her clients like to get involved there too by having craft alongs at Tammy's House, making up samples and trying out new ideas.

Tammy now just needs some new clients to enjoy her experiences.

Tammy is nervous about the launch, hoping she can reach people who will really benefit.

Even if you have never crafted before, don't think you can or have lost your craft mojo, she encourages you to give it a go.

She said: "The most important thing to remember when crafting, it is not about how good (or bad) you think it turns out, it's the journey you went on to get there.

"There is no right or wrong way to craft, sometimes all it takes is colour, if you haven't got any imagination, then let glitter do the rest.”

Drop-ins are welcome to the session but booking is recommended to ensure you get space as materials are limited to a certain number.

Discover Craft sessions are available at the following locations:

Mondays 9.30am - 11.30am at Hazel Leys Community Centre, Corby

Tuesdays 9.30am - 11.30am at Cornerstone Methodist Church, Corby

Tuesdays 12.30pm - 2.30pm at Crescent Community Centre, Kettering

Wednesdays 12.30pm - 2.30pm at Victoria Centre, Wellingborough

Fridays 9.30am - 11.30am at Grange Community Hub, Kettering

For more details call Tammy on 07947 051507 or email her on [email protected].