Jae Fowler

A lifelong interest in crafting and personal experience of the value of crafting for wellbeing and the potential for social connection, led Jae Fowler to establish Canterbury Christ Church Creatives in 2018.

The Creatives is a group for staff and students of Canterbury Christ Church University and brings people together to craft and make art for enjoyment and wellbeing and to teach and learn skills. Members are able to work on particular projects that benefit the University and wider communities and contribute to the inclusivity and sustainability of the University. The membership connects across a variety of platforms and brings people together both virtually and in-person.   Since the group formed, membership has grown to more than 370 and continues to grow.  The group won the University’s first Outstanding Contribution to the Staff Community award in 2020/21.

Jae is very interested to connect with others in education settings who are involved with similar groups, both those run on a voluntary basis and those resourced by the organisation, with a view to sharing best practice and forming a network of interested people.  Jae hopes that her experience of running a group on a voluntary basis alongside full-time employment and engaging with a range of volunteers and stakeholders, will bring useful insights to her role as Creative Advisor and she is excited to be able make a contribution to Creative Lives.