Community

Goldhay Arts

Established in 1994, Goldhay Arts provides a quality service to adults with learning difficulties with an emphasis on personal development through experience of the performing and visual arts. Here, with the support of Perkins, we turn over our pages to let the charity tell its own story...

Goldhay Arts was created by Anthea Cox who, at the time, was working at the Adult College in Peterborough teaching creative arts. She soon realised there was nowhere for adults with a learning disability to move on to if they wanted to pursue further arts opportunities in Peterborough. She formed the Goldhay Group which then became a registered charity in 2003 and has never looked back. Our service deliver works off three basis principles to enable us to grow and develop our service users: 1) Use professional artists as tutors 2) Promote equality and respect for each other as artists 3) Produce quality work which gains recognition in the arts world.

We have had our fair share of ups and downs…

The charity almost closed back in 2009 when it was reporting a huge loss and with the threat of our contract with the local authority not being renewed due to the loss. However, with a new chairman at the head, Francis Mulhern, and fuelled by his passion for the work we do, the charity started to break even by 2010 and was soon making a profit which has been reinvested back into our charitable work developing our service users. There was a lot of support from group members, staff, parents, carers and friends of Goldhay Arts which was and will always be remembered.

A few of our biggest challenges since 2009 have been the local authority changing their eligibility criteria for adults with learning difficulties who require adult social care support, and the move from block contracts to individual budgets and direct payments. These changes have resulted in some individuals losing their day opportunity funding, a reduction in contract prices resulting in a continued need for the charity to fundraise to support the work we offer within our local community.

We are passionate about the work we do…

and are always looking for community involvement, whether by way of volunteering as a trustee, support staff or donations to aid in the delivery of our weekly sessions and to develop Goldhay Arts’ future strategies. We are also looking at ways of building a better relationship with local businesses, increasing participation for adults with learning difficulties and welcome opportunities to do so. 2016 has been an especially fun year for us. Group members have decided to celebrated the 100th year since Roald Dahl’s birth. With this in mind, all our sessions for 2016 have been based around Roald Dahl and his work. As part of the theme, we will be hosting our first show of 2016 in June and the group have put their own spin on Roald Dahl’s classic Charlie & the Chocolate Factory. The dance and drama group have been working on the scripting, costumes and dance routines with the music group creating all the sound effects for the play. Finally, the visual arts team has been studying Quentin Blake, who has created all the illustrations for Roald Dahl books.

Our music group meets Monday afternoons and the sessions are designed to aid the group in exploring and creating music through use of African drums and other small percussion instruments. This sessions is particularly helpful for those with little speech. Part of our weekly offer is our dance & drama sessions. These are held on Tuesdays and are designed to promote fitness, wellbeing and self expression. Our visual arts sessions are on Thursdays. These sessions are planned and designed to develop those who have an interest in drawing and painting. The group study various artists, learnt from their techniques to create their own original art pieces. These are then displayed for sale out into our local community.

Each artist owns a 50% commission from each sale…

The remaining 50% goes back into their art kitty to fund further projects. The group has been recreating Quentin Blake’s illustrations, creating their own and have written poems to match their individual illustrations. These pictures will be displayed in the near future at Peterborough City Hospital, along with the illustrations created by the group and poems written.

Art Exhibitions

Each year our group members are supported to host art exhibitions at community events. This allows them to display the varied art pieces they create throughout the year for sale. Each group member then earns a 50% commission for any of their art piece that is sold. The remaining 50% goes back into their art kitty for future projects. We would like to say a huge thank you to the BGL Group who have supported the work of our art group this year by funding our arts budget for 2016.

Monday morning choir

With the support of Austin & Hope Pilkington Trust, we have been able to offer FREE choir sessions to adults with learning difficulties, their family, friends and carers on a weekly basis. As a charity, we are constantly looking at ways of developing the services we offer to adults with learning difficulties. This project was funded to enable us to offer the opportunity for our local county to come together and form a choir that adults with disabilities can be proud of and an activity that can be shared with their family, friends and carers. The choir was formed back in 2015 and since then have been performing at our annual shows to a paying audience. Our choir has expanded this year and we now have students from Olympic College who attends on a regular basis and have been enjoying their time as part of the choir.

Our access team

This team meets weekly on a Friday and is suited to more independent adults with learning difficulties who are able to travel by public transport and are able to ask for help if needed out into the community. We support this group to plan and arrange weekly activities they want to participate in, places they want to visit particularly out of Peterborough and design sessions to aid improving their independence skills.

Our annual summer ball

In 2010 we were able to source funding from Awards for All to host the first ever summer ball for adults with learning disabilities in Peterborough and the surrounding areas. With over 200 people in attendance, the event was held at the Holiday Inn in Thorpe Wood. In 2016 and with the support Perkins Engines Company Limited we will be hosting our 6th Summer Ball. The event will be held at the Deafblind UK Centre, Hampton on Saturday, 6 August at 6.30. The event will give our group members and other adults with learning disabilities in and around Peterborough, the opportunity to dress up for a formal event, one they can share with their friends and family and the opportunity to make new friends. Thanks to Perkins Engines Company Limited, tickets are only £15, making the night more affordable for potential beneficiaries.

Christmas Crafts

Each year our group members chooses to create Christmas crafts which are then sold at our Christmas events. Group members are also able to take these crafts home and or create crafts especially for their love ones or people they care most about. This is just one other way of showing how talented people with a learning disability are and that with the right support they are able to achieve great things.

Trustees wanted!

Have you ever thought about making a real contribution to your community? If so do you have the enthusiasm or experience to join the Board of a small charity and help improve the health, wellbeing and the lives of a disadvantaged group? This is an exciting time to join our charity, help to shape its future and support the personal and professional development of adults with learning difficulties. While your personal qualities are most important, knowledge or experience in any of the following areas would be an advantage:- Social Enterprise, Legal, Finance, Health & Social Care, Business planning and Service Development, Fundraising, Marketing & HR

For more information please contact Annecka on 01733 262442 or email

These pages have been supported by Peterborough-based Perkins Engines Company Limited, one of the world’s leading suppliers of off-highway diesel and gas engines.

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