Aim: Play a pivotal role in Ark-T's vision for the future by helping raise £50,000 to recover lost income as a result of the pandemic.
Play a pivotal role in Ark-T's vision for the future for a Community Hub, where everyone in our local community can come together, make connection, be creative, and unlock their potential.
Since the start of the pandemic, because of numerous lockdowns and social restrictions we have experienced a reduction in nearly £100,000 in unrestricted funding through room hire. This income is vital in helping support our staff team and volunteers to deliver our programme of creative arts and mentoring for improved mental health and wellbeing in children, young people and their families.
Do you know how many people use our spaces each week? Over 1100 people, who either hire our spaces for classes, groups and gatherings, or who attend our creative workshops and 1-2-1 mentoring. We are committed to securing these incredible spaces for our community in the future.
Take a moment to think about what would be lost lost if this space no longer existed in OX4?
On the first Monday of each month we run a Community Hub Day across both our spaces with the following activity:
- a stay and play for under 5s and their parents and carers facilitated by a play worker, with parenting support workers also on hand
- 1-2-1 debt and financial advice sessions
- a dementia cafe for those living with dementia and their carers
- a knit and natter at the East Oxford over 50s social group
- an arts and wellbeing group for girls aged 6-11 many of whom who are experiencing challenges in their own lives
These activities are delivered in partnership with 7 different partner organisations. Everyone who comes can also have a pay-what-you-feel hot, healthy meal, cooked with surplus food waste by Waste2Taste cafe.
We also have plans to start a parenting peer support group for parents and carers with neuro-diverse children.
We would love this coming together of different generations to access multiple services, to happen every week.
With £50,000 raised through this crowdfunder, we would not only recoup 50% of the lost income, but we would be able to be able to make this a reality.
With your support we can get there and truly help us preserve our space for the local community, where people come together to make art, make friendships and make change in their own lives and the world around them.
This project closed unsuccessfully on 4th May 2022