Charity and Art Group Launch Creative Workshops
A South Yorkshire charity has partnered with a non-profit art organisation to support vulnerable families in Rotherham.
An exciting collaboration between YWCA Yorkshire's Fleming Gardens and ROAR aims to build community, creativity and connections for women, children and families in Rotherham.
Commissioned by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and delivered by YWCA Yorkshire, Fleming Gardens provides safe housing and wrap-around support to people who have experienced homelessness, domestic abuse, family breakdowns and poverty in Rotherham. ROAR is a not-for-profit art organisation that support creative practices and promote the arts.
Fleming Gardens and ROAR have teamed up to deliver a series of creative workshops in a community setting. Led by mixed-media artist and educator Teresa Sayner, the five-week programme began on Wednesday, 10th September, and will run every Wednesday from 3pm to 4.30pm, concluding on 8th October 2025.
The workshops are designed to empower women and children to express themselves through art. The creations made during the sessions are guided by participants, in a safe space and a supportive environment, and each piece is a deeply personal reflection of their own stories and creativity. This collaborative process fosters trust and compassion, and the sessions aim to support participants to grow in confidence and self-esteem.
The artwork produced from the workshops will find a permanent home in Fleming Gardens' new Wellbeing Hub in Flanderwell, Rotherham. Currently in the planning stages, the Hub will be a purpose-built space designed to provide a safe and supportive environment for families accessing specialist one-to-one and group support. Displaying the art in this community-led space, will ensure it represents the people it serves.
The partnership between Fleming Gardens and ROAR is built on a shared mission to promote wellbeing, connection, and community.
YWCA Yorkshire Chief Executive, Diane Offers, said; “We’re delighted to partner with ROAR who are an incredible organisation serving communities in Rotherham. Through this creative collaboration our Fleming Gardens families are learning new ways to explore and communicate experiences through the medium of art.”
Of the workshops, Artist Teresa Sayner, said: “My hope is to build skills and confidence with those that attend, so that at the end of the five weeks they can carry these forward into their everyday lives and continue to progress in the areas they have most enjoyed."
Matt Butt, CEO, ROAR, said: "At ROAR, we believe that the arts are a bridge- they connect people, nurture confidence, and open doors to new possibilities. Collaborating with a charity like YWCA Yorkshire shows just how powerful creativity can be when it's rooted in community and care."
To learn more about Fleming Gardens and further opportunities to partner with the charity team to deliver real impact for communities in Rotherham, email Rebecca.Lockwood@ywcayorkshire.org.uk.