Crafty Ranters are a relaxed group that meet every 2nd Friday of the month during Englesea Brook’s open season to enjoy chat, cake, coffee and craft. The group is open to all and is for all abilities. Sessions are free (but we always welcome donations!). You can come to one session; you can come to some sessions; you can come to all of them. Materials are provided (unless stated otherwise). You can just drop by, but we would encourage you to book in advance so that we can ensure that we have enough materials to go around. To book your place please email Ruth at director@engleseabrook.org.uk and don’t forget to let us know about any dietary requirements you might have as well as whether or not you require wheelchair access.
Crafty Ranters’ 2024 season offers the chance to try enjoyable and intriguing crafts that resonate with the spirit of Primitive Methodism. Why not come along and try your hand at something new!
Programme for 2024
Friday 12th April: Empowerment Begins When We Value Ourselves
This session focusses on valuing ourselves. We will begin and end with a simple meditation/visualisation to connect with our innate worth and gift. During the session we will enjoy playing with colour and shapes through easy screen printing and celebrate our uniqueness and value both individually and collectively.
Friday 10th May: Take Note Of What We’re Saying
In this session we will be using craftivism to reflect on poverty and homelessness. We will use paper collage to decorate notebook covers with phrases and pictures and then send them to local and national politicians asking for action on homelessness.
Friday 14th June: We Are Wonderfully Made
Using clay we will explore what we feel about ourselves and our bodies and what we need to do to keep well. We’ll look at how women’s and men’s health needs and treatments are wrongly regarded as the same, and also think about cultures where women’s and girl’s bodies are mutilated and degraded. These are issues that can touch deeply, so the session will be held with gentleness and sensitivity.
Friday 12th July: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!
Yes we do, but we also want girls to have access to education that enables them to reach their potential. Together we will make a banner with words that express the hopes and desires of girls and young women both in the UK and globally and think about how they can be resourced to stand up against an increasing culture of misogyny and sexualisation.
Friday 13th September: Who We Are Can Be Our Gift
This session focusses on neurodiversity and mental health. Many people are unable to be truly themselves because of a lack of understanding about neurodiverse conditions such as autism and ADHD. Women in particular find themselves ‘masking’ in order to fit in with society which can result in poor mental health. We will make masks and explore what it feels like to wear a number of masks, but also to take them off to reveal our authentic selves.
Friday 11th October: Being In Power Or Empowering?
In this session we will explore the models of power that women have embraced – or rejected. What might be an authentic female model of power? Is there such a thing? Have women in power simply assumed the role that men have presented? As we reflect on these issues we will make enormous paper flowers!
