As part of its Local Charity Initiative scheme, Midlands-based building products manufacturer Forterra has supported Rowan, a charity that provides an art centre and forest school for adults with learning disabilities.
A donation of £350 from Forterra will be used by the charity to fund materials for its print workshops from paper to inks, and correct storage for the students prints and artwork so the projects can dry and avoid smudges, stains or damages.
Rowan, which is based in Cambridge, near Forterra’s King’s Dyke factory, is attended by around 100 students every week from the ages of 18 to 70, with workshops from Monday to Friday, across textiles, printing, mixed media, ceramics, music and more.
The forest school is an opportunity for students to get in touch with nature in a safe and supervised environment at a nearby private woodland, where they can create art with natural materials, alongside learning team building and life skills, from building campfires to making dens.
Rose Bloomfield, Fundraising and Events Manager at Rowan, said, “As a small charity, we rely on the support of others, so donations like Forterra’s are vital to the work that we do. Being able to spend time with the students and seeing the difference Rowan makes in their lives is so rewarding. Giving them the platform to exhibit their artwork and helping them socialise is a unique and enriching opportunity that they may not otherwise have if it weren’t for Rowan.”
“We’re proud to support the vital work of Rowan as part of our Local Charity Initiative”, said Joe Parker, Head of Marketing Communications. “Rowan has a huge positive impact on the local community, promoting inclusivity for all and ensuring that people with learning disabilities have a safe space to socialise and pick up important life skills.”
The donation is a part of Forterra’s Local Charity Initiative, which grants individual factories and offices in the company the ability to provide funding support to causes close to its local communities.
