A One-day Creative Retreat in the Charnwood Hills – Saturday 7th June 2025

My long-time friend and some-time creative collaborator Liz Waddell and I really enjoyed working together on the My Jewellery, My Story community project last autumn.

So much so, in fact, that we decided we’d try running similar workshops under our own steam, combining art and making activities with a little imaginative writing in the same way we’d done for the commission from Culture Leicestershire.

Liz’s great passion for her art is nature, particularly the plants, insects and animals to be found in our own gardens and parks. I love nature, too, and like to think outside the box a bit, wondering what stories we could learn from it if only we took the time to listen and observe.

So, it made sense for our first independent creative workshop together to be nature-themed.

It’s very much a trial, in a venue that has great, one-level facilities but with woodland around it for those who can take a short walk out into it (and plants, objects and other resources for people to look at inside, if they can’t).

And if it works well, we’ll run other one-day retreats there later in the year – an autumn-themed one, perhaps, with the beautiful fall colours as inspiration, and a winter one to get us in the mood for Christmas.

Why not come along on Saturday and tell us what you think?

There’s full information (including how to book) on Eventbrite.

We were also brave and made a short film answering questions people had asked about what to expect on the day.

But feel free to email us at charnwoodcreatives@gmail.com if there’s anything else you’d like to know!