SENsational new group in Kettering

In Kettering there is a new creative group aimed at SEN individuals  of 25 years plus. The name of the group is Art & SENsAbility. They only started in March 2026 and already have an Art exhibition in Kettfest 13/06/26) and a float being made ready for Kettering Carnival (11/07/26) .
The group is a not-for-profit group connected to Toller church in Kettering town centre. They meet up for Art sessions on Friday mornings, and this is where SEN individuals with varying needs have created the artwork for the exhibition. The group exists to give individuals a chance to learn new things as well as offering an outlet for their creativity, while also giving them a chance to chat and interact with others.

Helen Woods, one of the volunteer organisers of the group says, “One of the main aims of this group is to give adult SEN individuals a place where they can go and not feel like they have to hide who they are. “She also adds that, “there needs to be places like this, as adults with SEN stand a much higher risk of feeling isolated and even getting depressed as they don’t go out due to worries about how others might react to them..”  Another  volunteer organiser  Karen Simcoe comments, “We try to create activities at multiple levels to ensure that no one either feels overwhelmed or babied. I think it’s important to remember that, as most of our members are around 30 years old, they are adults who don’t want to be treated like kids anymore.” 
The Art exhibition is called, “The Art of Being Different,” and the theme is mostly about being yourself and not being ashamed of being different.  The ART&SENsability group has also invited artists from Shine Art and Wellbeing, a Burton Latimer SEN group, and SEN Sunday, a group based in ARTworks in the  Kettering Newlands centre, which runs a once a month session in line with the Newlands Quiet Sunday.  Helen says, “We decided to collaborate with others because this exhibition isn’t about us trying to be better than other groups. Instead, it’s about celebrating the talent of SEN people. We aim to show that everyone has a part to play in the local community. We have many events in the pipeline and most of them are to show that SEN people are more than just people to be looked after. They are individuals and they can do a lot more than some people give them credit for, when given the opportunity. “Rachel, a member of the group mentioned, “I really like the art group and I love the social group too as I get to play with friends instead of just being at home” 
All in all Art &  SENsAbility sounds like a group to watch! They arer adding a Drama group in late July and are hoping to link up with  the Green Patch group as well.  They even have an event they are planning to host for Children in Need later this year.