Thank You for Supporting Beach Creative CIC: A Heartfelt Message

A Warm Thank You to Our Donors

We'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated to our Co-op community fund. We've received a total of £2066.05, thanks to generous donations from Co-op Members! Your support means the world to us.

As a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, led by volunteers, we truly appreciate your contributions. Your donations help us keep providing a creative space where the Herne Bay community can come together to enjoy free exhibitions, events, and creative workshops, courses, and classes.

More Than Just a Creative Hub

But Beach Creative is much more than a creative community hub. We offer everyone a safe place to learn, socialise, and fulfil their creative potential. Our space is a haven for the wider community, especially for some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals in our neighbourhood.

Free courses for young adults, creative courses for all ages and support groups are just a few examples of how we benefit the local community from our welcoming environment. People of all ages find an outlet here, along with the chance to feel valued and supported.

Transformative Impact on Lives

The sense of achievement, emotional and psychological wellbeing, and self-esteem gained from Beach Creative’s programme truly transforms lives. Our education projects and workshops bring people together and provide access to skills they didn’t know they had.

We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to explore their creativity and express themselves. This is why we work hard to ensure our offerings are accessible to all.

Supporting Kent’s Creative Industries

We also support Kent’s creative industries by giving upcoming artists and makers an affordable start on their journey. More established peers find a place to create, promote, and sell their work. This nurturing environment helps foster local talent and enriches our community.

A Call for Continued Support

We already do so much, but we could do so much more with your help. Every contribution counts and allows us to expand our reach and enhance our offerings. Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of many.

Thank you once again from everyone at Beach Creative! Your generosity fuels our mission to be the heart of Herne Bay's creative community. We invite you to join us in making art accessible to everyone while supporting local talent.

Let’s continue to create, learn, and grow together!

Solar Panels at Beach Creative supported by The Veolia Environmental Trust

We are very happy to share that the installation of Solar Panels has begun at Beach Creative!

The Veolia Environmental Trust has funded Beach Creative CIC with £18,720 for this solar panel installation project. This is one of a number of initiatives to reduce our carbon footprint in line with our Environmental Policy and our commitment to caring for our planet and people.

It was important to us at Beach Creative to choose and support a local contractor and we are very pleased to be working with Solar Specialists Ltd who have earned an excellent reputation in our local area as a professional, expert Solar company.

https://www.solarspecialistsltd.co.uk/

The solar panel installation is part of a larger integrated improvement plan that includes upgrading our electrical system, installing new radiators, and converting the loft space with Velux windows.

We, at Beach Creative, are delighted and grateful to have this opportunity to significantly improve our carbon footprint and become a visible advocate for embracing green energy and environmental care within our community. We thank Veolia Environmental Trust from the bottom of our hearts for the funding they have provided.’

Dr Gillian Wilson, Director of Strategy, Education and Outreach at Beach Creative

This initiative comes at an important time, as Beach Creative currently faces annual energy

costs of £14,509, representing 12% of our income, limiting our capacity to deliver important

community services. The energy cost savings achieved will be redirected to support community programmes serving disadvantaged residents.

The Veolia Environmental Trust has been supporting environmental projects through the Landfill Communities Fund since 1997. To date, it has distributed over £109 million, funding more than 2,843 grants for projects ranging from community initiatives to nature reserves.

The Veolia Environmental Trust is proud to support Beach Creative CIC's innovative project, which demonstrates their commitment to environmental responsibility while enhancing their capacity to be a cornerstone for community support. We hope that the grant will deliver long term impacts for residents in Herne Bay, inspiring social and environmental wellbeing now and in the future.

Andrew Brown, Executive Director of the Veolia Environmental Trust

For more information about Veolia Environmental Trust, please visit www.veoliatrust.org.

#HerneBay #BeachCreative #VeoliaEnvironmentalTrust #SolarSpecialistsLtd #CarbonFootprint #SolarPanels

Beach Creative research Bison and Butterflies for Carnival of the Animals

Over the last few weeks we have been busy getting stuck in with preparations for our Carnival of the Animals project inspired by THE HERDS, supported by Art Fund.

Wendy Chandler researching for the life sized bison puppet (left) / On tour with Bison Ranger Eddie from Kent Wildlife Trust (right)

We had a fabulous day on a guided tour at Kent Wildlife Trust with the knowledgeable and engaging Eddie, the Bison Ranger. Eddie explained in depth the process of 'Rewilding' - a large-scale ecological restoration approach that focuses on returning ecosystems to a state where nature can largely take care of itself. We were then taken on a wonderful walk where we were lucky enough to see the magnificent bison herd (as close as is possible to get)!

Beautiful butterfly masks created by Beach Creative Young Artist, Bella

Bella, one of our Beach Creative Young Artists, has been the first to develop some prototype masks using recycled materials, taking inspiration and reference from the butterflies native to Blean woods. - including the Fritillary butterfly, which is endangered. 

"The Heath Fritillary is one of Britain's rarest and perhaps the Blean's greatest conservation success story. Close to extinction in the late 1970s, the heath fritillary colonies in the Blean are now some of the country's largest. This butterfly has been brought back from the brink by re-introducing regular coppicing and creating and maintaining wide rides (tracks) and open spaces that are linked."

https://kentishstour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/blean-parish.pdf

Our project, 'Carnival of the Animals' in collaboration with Kent Wildlife Trust, Herne Bay in Bloom Community Kitchen Garden and led by artist Wendy Chandler, will be creating a life-size puppet bison from recycled materials to parade through Herne Bay with 'Carnival of the Animals' part of global project inspired by the international public art and climate action project THE HERDS, supported by Art Fund.

Read more about the project in our previous post here

theherds.org 

#BeachCreative #HerneBay #Kent #THEHERDS #ClimateAction #JoinTheHerds