A COMMUNITY arts organisation has created handmade craft kits to help people express creativity during Covid-19.

Daisy Arts, based in Bishop Auckland Market Place above No. 42, works with all age groups and abilities, offering creative workshops, youth theatres, school work, employment, mentoring, and training opportunities for volunteers and young artists.

Together directors Dawn Belshaw and Jane Crawford developed the craft kits and journal packs to occupy people of all ages who may struggle with being inside during lockdown, and also for individuals with a creative streak.

The craft kits have been part of distributions across South West Durham, Shildon, Spennymoor and surrounding areas, Tow Low and Crook, with Daisy Arts often collaborating with other organisations.

The Northern Echo: Youngster Jamie getting creative with the kitsYoungster Jamie getting creative with the kits

Miss Crawford, managing director, said: “We believe participation in the arts transforms communities and individuals.

"We’re self-employed artists and our facilitating work ended from Tuesday, March 17, so from the outset of lockdown we were determined to keep connectivity alive in our community and be there as a support to others.

“We discussed in our first week about a doorstep activity packs - we all like to receive gifts - and as one of our directors is a craft artist, we shared this idea and began developing.

"We really wanted to create something physical and hands-on, so we began making handmade craft kits, putting them together to create an activity bag for doorstep deliveries - nearly 800 bags - over 3,000 individual kits.

“We also created journal packs for young people and adults to put thoughts and keepsake in, and we’ve received lots of feedback.

"These have been challenging and evolving circumstances for everyone, and we believe the arts is of huge importance in our daily lives.

"We hope that with the help of future funding we will be able to provide new projects that continue to encourage, inspire and support health and wellbeing."

The Northern Echo: Craft kits ready to be dispatched within the communityCraft kits ready to be dispatched within the community

Deliveries of the art products made by Daisy Arts have been supported by Gaunless Gateway Big Local and Durham County Council Spennymoor Area Action Partnership.

A parent sent the following to Miss Crawford: “My teenage daughter received one of your journal packs.

“She had little interest at first but upon reading the suggestions she decided to give it a go.

“She ended up throwing herself into finding different things to add, from made up design sketches to flowers and plant leaves picked up whilst we have walked our dog.

The Northern Echo: Craft kit contentsCraft kit contents

“She has added her own phrases, photos of her small group of school friends, family and her pets, along with quotes and images from her favourite youtubers.

“She suffers greatly with anxiety and having the journal has helped her in some ways to have a focus and helped her cope - it’s been a great support to her mental health.”

Miss Crawford added: "We are so thankful for the support that we’ve been given for this initiative, to volunteers that have helped with distribution, local funding received, together with other organisations ordering our packs to support their gifting outreach to their nearby communities too."

To find out more about the activities of the organisation, visit the Daisy Arts Facebook page.