Greetings from our CEO.
Dear Friends,
As autumn unfolds and freshers’ flu makes its rounds in Oxford, the shift in seasons can weigh on us all. The darkening days and cooler weather can have an impact on mental health and well-being – no matter who you are.
Engaging in cultural activities and the arts can help to navigate the change in seasons with resilience. Our Welcome Space at Templars Square Shopping Centre is the perfect place to explore your artistic side – everything is thoughtfully prepared for you to spark your imagination. So if the fading daylight is getting you down – please do drop in and visit us.
The team has been very busy, especially with the new academic year, which heralds the start of many of our programmes for young people.
I hope you’ll enjoy reading about what we’ve been up to since our last update.
❤️
Catherine
Volunteering Success with the NielsenIQ Team
Earlier this month, Nielsen IQ sent eight fantastic volunteers to help us with much-needed painting and tidying up the outdoor area at our Welcome Space in Templars Square Shopping Centre. Their dedication made a real difference, and we are so grateful for their hard work. One of the team members even mentioned, “It’s the best-organised volunteering day we’ve ever been to.”
Special thanks go to Vanessa, Nicky, Jo, and Tony, whose support and efforts ensured the day went smoothly.
Community Lunches – Record-Breaking Events
Since our last update, we’ve had two more Community Lunches – on 2 September and, just this week, 7 October. These have been our busiest ever, with record-breaking donations! We are especially pleased to let you know some very vulnerable members of our community felt comfortable joining us for lunch, support and connection. A big thank you to our volunteers, without whom, our Community Lunches could not happen.
At our latest lunch, we were privileged to welcome Dr Astrid Krisch and Natalie Ford from Oxford University who worked with us on our Living Well Locally project. Astrid and Natalie set up a beautiful exhibition on the project, and showed a film – which I know people enjoyed. We also had Helen give us a quilting workshop, which was great fun!
We hold a Community Lunch on the first Monday of each month from 12pm to 2pm at 242 Barnes Rd. It’s always a fun, relaxed and social time – we look forward to welcoming you at the next one.
OffBeat Festival Success
We are proud to have taken part in this year’s OffBeat Festival, where Ark T ran a wonderful quilting stall led by Helen. The stall received fantastic feedback from attendees, and we were thrilled that Ark T trustee Chair Ivan dropped by to offer some kind words of support. It’s always a pleasure to showcase the creativity of our community at events like these, and we look forward to more opportunities in the future!
Term Begins: Creativity Changes Lives & MySpace Projects
With the start of the new term, Ark T is excited to announce that Art Nest is up and running! This wonderful space provides creative refuge for children referred to us by Orchard Meadow Primary school, and we’re thrilled to see it buzzing with life again.
Alongside Art Nest, the Creativity Changes Lives projects have resumed, offering vital support through creative expression. In addition, two new programmes have been launched: My Space Online and My Space After School, specifically designed for emotionally based school avoiders. We are working with Oxford University’s Department of Psychiatry to develop sensitive ways to collect data from these programmes – to effectively measure their impact.
Winter Lights Festival – Community Party
Mark your calendars! Ark T will be hosting a Winter Lights Festival Community Party on 15 November, from 5–8pm at Ark T’s venue on 242B Barnes Rd, OX4 3RQ. This promises to be a fantastic evening with live music from local bands, festive lights, and activities for everyone to enjoy. We hope you’ll join us and help celebrate 25 years of Ark T!
B Corp Conference Success
Ark T had a strong presence at the B Corp Conference, where several exciting new connections were made. From charities helping people into employment to software companies connecting charities with businesses, there were plenty of promising opportunities to follow up on. We’ll keep you posted.
Funding Applications in Progress
Last month, we told you about our Wates Foundation grant application. We’re pleased to let you know that the application was successful, and the funding will go toward our Creativity Changes Lives Programme. We’re submitting funding applications on a rolling basis – so we’ll keep you posted.
Pro Bono Economics Training
Some of the Ark T team recently undertook specialised economics training, generously provided by Pro Bono Economics. This training has deepened our understanding of how to effectively assess and demonstrate the economic value of our programmes. By illustrating the long-term cost savings our initiatives generate, we aim to strengthen our future funding proposals.
Website Launch – Thank You to the Team!
Ark T’s brand-new website is now live! 🎉 This achievement was made possible thanks to the tireless efforts of Tony and Myrna, who did some incredible detective work to find out all sorts of technical details that were lost to time. The site is still in its draft stage, and we’ll be working on it to make it the most informative that we can.
Charity Mentors Programme
I’m grateful to have been accepted into the Charity Mentors Programme, which connects charity leaders with experienced mentors for guidance and support. As someone new to the sector, this is such a valuable opportunity to help me grow and learn. Thank you, Charity Mentors!
New Textiles Exhibition
We are excited to announce the launch of a new textiles exhibition in the Welcome Space. One of its highlights is a giant loom that invites you to actively participate in the creation of a collective piece. You can select fabrics to weave into the artwork – and, for a personal touch, we encourage you to write a message, thought, poem, or intention on the fabric before adding it to the loom. Your words will become part of this evolving community tapestry, bringing your voice into the heart of the work.