Canterbury Christ Church Creatives is a group for students and staff of Canterbury Christ Church University. Beginning in 2018 with a Crafternoon for 20 people, its membership has since grown to over 400.

Entirely volunteer-led, the group brings people together to craft and make art for enjoyment and wellbeing, to teach and learn skills, and to work on particular projects.

Over the past year, the group has worked on three of its most innovative and exciting projects to date. The #happytochat project involved sponsoring and decorating indoor and outdoor seating spaces, making them inviting for people to talk with others in addressing social isolation and loneliness. 

#Beebombing resulted in over 300 knitted, crocheted and felted bees, each accompanied by a handmade seed-paper wildflower. While #cccubutterflies led to 500 crafted butterflies being left for people to find, with each butterfly accompanied by a card giving a link to the university’s ‘Connect’ initiative which supports mental and physical wellbeing.

“What makes the group great is that it’s open to everyone and people determine their level of engagement. It’s also, to the best of my knowledge, unique in the UK higher education sector. 

Within universities, there are generally good opportunities for students to connect with each other socially, and some opportunities for staff to connect with each other - but very few, if any, opportunities for students and staff to get together in a social, non-work-related way.” Jae Fowler, Canterbury Christ Church Creatives

Learn more:

• Website www.canterbury.ac.uk/diamond-jubilee/jubilee-projects/happy-to-chat/about-happy-to-chat
• Facebook - www.facebook.com/groups/canterburychristchurchcreatives
• Instagram - www.instagram.com/canterburychristchurchcreative