Youngsters to benefit from new art materials

A youth club has been given new materials and a cheque which will enable it to continue providing children with an art space.The chairman, treasurer, and promotions officer of The Wash Art Group, formerly Art 21, called in on the weekly meeting of the Junior Gateway Club at St Faiths Church in Gaywood.The club has been run by husband and wife team Tina and Martin Beale, who took over the reins 18 years ago after volunteering at the club for six years.

They are helped by some of the older children who have stayed on at the club – which has been running for 37 years.It was an exciting, noisy and very active evening, with children aged from four to 18 taking part in all sorts of different activities.Older boys and girls had their tables set out for arts and crafts, and the work they were doing was imaginative, thoughtful and colourful.

It was obvious to the members of The Wash Art Group what it meant to these youngsters to have such a great place and atmosphere in which to be creative and enjoy themselves. There were also activities on offer for younger children, as well as disco music and a break for refreshments.Julian Bull and Jean Steeds, the chairman and treasurer of The Wash Art Group, presented Tina and Martin with a cheque for £100 raised at their recent art exhibition in the church rooms.

Members of the group had also put together four boxes of art and craft supplies for the children.A spokesperson for The Wash Art Group said the Junior Gateway Club is “obviously a happy, safe, and creative space for these children”, and that they were “very pleased to have been able to support them”.

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