MFR Cash for Kids Hands on Art

Your funding has enabled us to fund art classes at Inverness Leisure.

Our Hands on Art project began at that start of 2018 as a pilot scheme. We were gifted a room from Highlife Highland at Inverness Leisure and working with a local artist transformed it in to art room.

We work with schools and other charities to identify children who will benefit from weekly art sessions. Many of the children are disengaged with school for a variety of reasons, some are being bullied, others are dealing with anxiety, some have been bereaved, are autistic or living with a disability.

Classes run during school term time and are generally between 6 and 10 weeks. Each class is for four children and lasts 90 minutes. MFR Cash for Kids fully fund all these sessions and each child leaves with a certificate and a bag with art materials allowing them to continue their work at home.

The feedback we’ve received so far has been heart-warming. One child was selective mute but began talking to our artists after a couple of sessions. One boy never left his Mum and she was accompanying him to lessons but was soon able to leave him with our artist while she went for a coffee and much needed break.

We are working to establish a similar project in Elgin working with Mandi Beard who runs Horny Coo Art.