The Severn Trent Community Fund has granted £8,467 to Shropshire-based arts charity, Rural Art Hub which will go towards the cost of insulating its Mother Shippon creative studio, enabling it to remain open throughout the year. 

An artist and community-led organisation, Rural Art Hub has partnered with Willenhall Way Caravan Park to create a vibrant landmark cultural space, which fills a gap in provision of affordable and free creative activities. 

The charity supports skill-building, wellbeing and helps to relieve isolation, helping participants and volunteers to grow confidence. It hosts weekly clubs for children aged 6-14 years old, workshops for older people, evening drawing and painting workshops, art clubs with local primary schools, and is holding an event for the Shropshire Love Nature Festival. 

Joseph Schneider, Director at Rural Art Hub, said: “Through a playful but reflective approach we nurture participants and volunteers with diverse needs and interests to discover and fulfil their potential for creative inspiration and transformation, while raising awareness of climate change, supporting local heritage and economic development.

"This grant funding is a really important step forward, allowing us to insulate our Mother Shippon studio so that we can continue to offer our services and workshops throughout the winter and offer a warm and cosy social environment for people as energy prices continue to rise.” 

Jade Gough, Community Fund Officer at Severn Trent, said: “The Rural Art Hub provides an absolutely fantastic service to the local community and through this funding, will be able to remain open all year round.  
 
“Our aspiration for the Community Fund is to award £10 million of grant funding to worthwhile, community-based projects across our region and would encourage any organisations that would benefit from funding to get in touch.”

For more information on the Severn Trent Community Fund and to find out how to make an application visit stwater.co.uk and search for Community Fund.