Emails in order 

Title: Creative Workshop Proposal 

Body of Email: 

Dear … To whom it may concern 

We are writing to introduce ourselves and to ask for the opportunity to run a creative workshop within your organisation. The proposed workshop date would fall between the 1st and 12th of December (date and duration to be agreed upon).

We are a group of 4 women, currently studying at the University of Gloucestershire as postgraduate students in art disciplines. We are developing a project that includes a creative workshop organised and run by us.

The reason for approaching your organisation is because we respect the work you do with vulnerable individuals, and it is close to our ethics. As individuals we have worked with organisations such as Mind, Strike a Light, Brain Tumour Support, Macmillan, Winston’s Wish, and Maggies; we can provide supplementary information should this be required. Our collective practice is centred on values of empathy, connection, belonging, inclusivity, empowerment, positivity, and creativity within a community of people identifying as women.

The creative workshop we are proposing is Rock Painting. All materials will be provided; no previous skill or experience is required. We will provide participants with a pre-workshop form to ensure we explain what they can expect, to make it inclusive and to address potential worries (form attached to this email).

The Rock Painting is part of a wider campaign named “I Am Here”, which is about people identifying as women reclaiming our space, being heard and seen, affirming we matter. This is both a physical and digital movement defined by the hashtag #IAMHERE across social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. These platforms will include images of the painted rocks with the creator’s consent (no participants will ever be photographed). It is important to note that across all platforms all participants will remain anonymous.

The campaign and workshop offer the opportunity for participants to feel empowered through a small gesture and to experience a coming together and belonging through this creative act.

A member of our team will follow up this email with a telephone call with the hope we can have the opportunity to host our creative workshop within your organisation. If you prefer to contact us, please call Sammi on 07766 241237.

Thank you for reading this email and we hope to work with you soon.

Best wishes, 

Stef, Sammi, Ellie & Tracy

Email to Nelson Trust (Potentially) 27/11

 Dear Kate,

 Thank you for your positive response. We are looking forward to the 1st of December and will bring treats! We have a couple of further quick questions:

What time would you like the workshop to start? (We would like to arrive 15-30 mins beforehand to set up and meet you all – particularly to establish any boundaries Karina might have, we are aware we are working with vulnerable women and we want to ensure everyone can experience feeling safe and not triggered; this workshop is about offering a positive, safe, creative space.)

Does anyone have any allergies – snack-wise?

Do you have or need us to provide craft aprons? (Acrylics can be very difficult to get out of clothing, or will the ladies be able to wear clothes they don’t mind getting messy?)

Rocks may need to dry – is there somewhere they can leave them? (Not a huge issue – they can be transported wet, carefully!)

We may wish to photograph the rocks that are created, these photos would not show any hands or anything else identifying, we will edit the photos to make sure there is no location linked to them. We would use these for our own documentation. If there is any objection or unease at all on your part, we won’t take any photographs at all, be reassured that we are completely led by you on this!

Best Wishes

 Sammi

 Email Response to Nelson Trust

 Dear Kate,

We hope this email finds you well. Firstly, thank you very much for your prompt reply. As a team, we are delighted with your positive response. We are all aware of the great work you do as a charity and are excited to be able to engage with you to help empower women.

We are grateful to be potentially included during the art group – that couldn’t be better from our point of view. The dates falling within the 16 Days of Action is perfect. Domestic abuse strips a lot of the self, simply stating “I Am Here” internally (in that context) is a huge statement.  We would love to accept the chance to be a part of that, the 1st of December would be ideal if possible. We aim for the workshop to be 90 minutes long but can adapt this to your needs.

 I am sure you have questions for us, would it be better to discuss the details over zoom so you can meet the team and address any potential issues? Equally, we can continue via email or phone, whatever works best for you. (We are mindful that resources – including time – are precious, so would like to set out the structure in the simplest way possible.)

 Bearing that in mind we have a few questions from our end:

•     Do we need to undertake any checks?
•     Would you like a supporting letter from the University for your records?
•     Would you like us to provide (or would we be able to provide) cakes, biscuits/snacks (and can we make the ladies hot drinks)?
•     Roughly how many participants (so we can gauge materials)?
•     Would a member of your team be present throughout the workshop, for safeguarding?

 Please let us know if there is anything else you need from us in the meantime. If you need to get hold of us urgently don’t hesitate to call Sammi on 07766241237. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Best Wishes,

 Ellie, Sammi, Steph and Tracy.

 Response from The Nelson Trust

Hi Sammi,

1st December sounds like a plan!

I have copied in Karina, our Art Therapist so she also knows the plan.

In answer to your questions:

Do we need to undertake any checks?                                                            

No, as there won’t be any lone working.

•         Would you like a supporting letter from the University for your records? 

Not strictly necessary but always best practice from a safeguarding perspective.

•         Would you like us to provide (or would we be able to provide) cakes, biscuits and snacks (and can we make the ladies hot drinks)? 

There are always hot drinks provided for the group, but I am sure they would love some treats!

•         Roughly how many participants (so we can gauge materials)? 

Karina, are you able to answer this, please?

•         Would a member of your team be present throughout the workshop, for safeguarding? 

Karina will be with you for the whole session

 Let me know if you need anything else, otherwise, look forward to meeting you on Thursday 😊

Many thanks

Kate

 Sometimes I choose to work flexibly & send emails outside normal office hours. Whilst this might work for me, please know I don’t expect a response or action outside of your own working hours

Response from Karina, Art Therapist

Good morning Sammi,

Thank you for this experience.

I will be with you all session.  We can start at 10 am or 10.30? I think about 6-8 women if that is OK? I can double-check the numbers on Tuesday when I am next in the centre and get back to you. We have plastic aprons.

Any other questions,  please do get in touch,

I’m looking forward to meeting you.

Warm regards,

 Karina

 Response from The Group

 Good Morning Karina,

 Thank you for getting back so quickly! We would love to start at 10:30 am if that works.

We would like to arrive at about 10 am to set up and meet you if that is OK?

Can I confirm the address you would like us to come to, is it:

1 Brunswick Square, Gloucester GL1 1UG

 Many thanks for this exciting opportunity.

Best Wishes

 Sammi

 Response from Karina, Art Therapist

 Hello,

I’m sorry for my late response. Yes, please do come at 10 am and that is the right address.

I’m looking forward to meeting you.

Warm regards,

 Karina  

And yes, I forgot to mention there is space for the rocks to dry and we can ask the women on the day who would be happy to have their artwork photographed.

I’m unsure of allergies – probably best not to bring anything containing nuts.

Hope that helps.

Karina

Response from Karina, Art Therapist

 Hello Sammi,

 I just wanted to say thank you and what a pleasure it was to have you, Stefania, Tracy, and Ellie with us today to share a lovely space of art-making with the women of The Nelson Trust. We appreciate all the goodies you bought with you for us, the art materials, the incredibly beautiful rocks, and the care you showed towards everyone.

I do hope we shall all meet again in Spring or Summer for some photography.

I had a client for a 1:1 session after the group who had wanted to come this morning but was unable to, so she asked to do some rock painting. She decorated 3 rocks, and I took photos, so if you would like them, I can send the photo’s over to you.

Warm wishes,

 Karina 

Response from The Group

 Hello Karina,

 Again, a huge warm thank you for the opportunity to come along today. We all really appreciate the privilege. It is so good that the rocks were so appreciated after the session, we are very thankful for all the women who generously came to be a part of it (both during and afterwards!). We would love the photos, that would be wonderful!

You are more than welcome, a sense of being together and being valued – a sense of community – it can be a very hard thing to accept or find, we really are in awe of the work you do – it was very special to be with you all and make with you. We do hope to meet again – thank you for asking us for the opportunity.

Warm wishes,

 Ellie, Sammi, Stef and Tracy

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