Create Festive Decorations

Create festive decorations to hang in your home during this winter festival time. Using cardboard, tissue paper, newspaper, tape, glue and some wire. Premiered on Friends of Derby Arboretum YouTube channel. 

Create Winter Houses

Here is our video to create Winter Houses in preparation for the winter months, it can be out on you windowsill with fairy light inside. Premiered on Friends of Derby Arboretum YouTube Channel.

 

DERWENT VALLEY MILLS CREATIVE ACTIVITIES

We created activities for the art boxes that Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site gave out to groups and families in Derbyshire. We were very pleased to be part of this project. The feedback is great too, so lovely to see people enjoying our creative ideas.

'Make a bottle lantern' video

Watch this video to create your own bottle lantern using an empty milk carton, some cellophane, tape and a tealight. Celebrate the Luminate Festival with us on Saturday 7 November, 5-7pm. 

Luminate Online Festival Saturday 7 Nov 2020

 

How to create a paper mache hot air balloon

 

Check out our Balloon Making Workshop created for the Lark Online Festival in September here 

Lark Online Festival

We had a busy week in mid September, celebrating 180th anniversary of Derby Arboretum opening to the public. The Friends of Derby Arboretum hosted a fantastic live-streamed show on YouTube each day for one hour, with chat, interviews and activities to get involved in. This was followed by videos of workshops, great performances and the Friends Group creating interesting films about the park.

The YouTube channel is available to watch any time, the videos and live shows will remain uploaded. Click the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/c/FriendsofDerbyArboretum/videos

Derby Well - Dressing @ Derby Feste

We have created a well dressing as part of the Derby Feste. It is exhibited on St James Street in Derby in an empty estate agent shop. A fusion of different cultures. The Well dressing is made using the traditional Derbyshire process: clay base in a wooden frame and a design using natural materials. We usually make these Well dressings with the help of the community as drop-in workshops. It is always a very sociable and enjoyable process made by the hands of many overseen by ourselves. This year was different as we involved the community in the design process only due to the social distancing rules. The design has influences of Rangoli, Islamic design and Eastern European folk art. Also using positive words and symbols to promote community and wellbeing.

How to make a Mini Well Dressing

While we are in isolation and are not able to make any of our lovely well dressings, we have created a resource sheet on how to make your own mini well dressing for your garden. 
See below:

Flamsteed Day Centre Exhibition

We held an exhibition at Flamsteed Day Centre in Ilkeston on 12 March. We had worked with this wonderful group of older people on batik, collage, applique and paper mache birds over the last few months. We always enjoy working and chatting with this group, its a very happy place to be. The project was funded by Erewash Borough Council Small Arts Grant.

Wednesday Wellbeing - Exhibition

We were very pleased to hold an exhibition of all the Wednesday Wellbeing workshops, created with the P3 group and local people from the Erewash area at the beginning of March. The exhibition took place at the Hayloft Gallery in Erewash Museum, and was attended by the Mayor, Councillor Sue Beardsley and her husband John. It was a very enjoyable event with the members and their families coming to view the work.
The project was funded by Erewash CVS 5 Ways to Wellbeing.

180th Giant Sculptures

We made giant paper mache sculptures to use all the way through this year to celebrate the 180th anniversary of Derby Arboretum. We ran workshops at the Pancake event in February and at Rosehill Infant School with the Stay and Play Group. Here are some images of the sculptures being constructed and then tissued.

180th Anniversary - Pancake Fun

Great time on Saturday celebrating the 180th Anniversary of Derby Arboretum with the local community. Lots of fun with pancake making, decorating and even racing. We were creating a giant zero as part of our 180th sculptures. 

 

Flamsteed Day Centre Project

We have been working with the lovely folk at Flamsteed, in Ilkeston, many of whom have dementia. Its been busy as the group is quite large now, but we have had lots of fun.
Batik, paper mache, collage and applique. Here are some of the lovely images.

Goldsquad session - lanterns

Another great session with the Goldsquad group, tissue paper lanterns. They look lovely.