FREE Craft Activity Packs available to local groups & organisations in West of Durham City Area  

RV-TOUR-SQUARE-WINTER

Rainbow Voices is a project of hope - bursting full of colourful crafts and mindful moments that aim to help our local communities reflect, reconnect and rebuild in life post pandemic. Our craft packs can be used in-person with groups, as a self-led or home based activity for both children and adults.

Sign up to take part

It's really easy to get involved with the project, just check out the info below to make sure your group is eligible, follow the link and sign up. We will then be in touch to discuss specific arrangements and answer your queries. We will make an arrangement to get a batch of packs to you and see if there are other ways in which our small team can support the work you do with your community through a limited amount of in-person support.

The Singing Elf is a Social Enterprise based in Pittington near Durham. We offer singing and creativity for wellbeing with a touch of magic!
In 2020 we developed a pandemic response project which has so far reached 10,000 people in our local communities of Houghton-le-Spring & Durham City.

Thanks to funding from Mid Durham Area Action Partnership we are now able to extend the project into areas West of Durham City and offer FREE Craft Activity Packs to community projects from January 2023. After an extremely difficult few years, the high levels of seasonal illness and the cost of living crisis, we know that many groups are looking for extra resources to support the people they are working with.

The Singing elf Logo - a rough edged black circle with white writing in various fun fonts. There's an elf hat over the e and two stars either side of elf and a dotted border inside the circle around the words
Durham Area Action Partnership logo. Purple circle with grey semicircle border. Central white writing reading Durham Area Action Partnership. At the bottom a grey slogan reads "Better for everyone"

What locations can benefit from the project in 2023?

This phase of the project is open to community organisations based in, or working with the residents of Zones 7 - 10 in the West Durham areas below:

WEST DURHAM AREAS COVERED

Zone 7:  Brandon, Langley Moor and Meadowfield

Zones 8:  Esh Winning, Ushaw Moor, Bearpark and Broompark

Zone 9:  Esh, Langley Park and Witton Gilbert

Zone 10:  Lanchester and Burnhope

A map of the North east with colour-coded zones - Zone 4 has an arrow pointing inside of it labbelled Durham City. Zone 9 includes Within Gilbert, Langley Park and Esh and has an arrow pointing to it labelled West-Durham. Zone 5 includes Pity Me, Brasside, Newton Hall and Framwellgate Moor. Zone 6 includes Aykley Heads and Neville's cross. Zone 7 includes Brandon, Langley Moor and Meadowfield. Zone 10 includes Burnhope and Lanchester.

What about other areas?
The Rainbow Voices Project previously visited the Sunderland Coalfields area of Houghton-le-Spring (Zone 1) ending in 2021. Thousands of craft packs were also distributed to Zones 2 - 6 in 2020-2022 as part of the Durham City phase of the project. We have a small surplus of packs still available to groups who have not previously benefited within Zones 4 - 6 (Durham City, Framwellgate, Newton Hall, Pity Me, Aykley Heads, Neville's Cross). Please use the link below to request packs for your groups in these areas. 

Who can take part?

We work with a wide variety of local groups and organisations who can connect us with those in our communities who are most in need of our project. Our funding covers residents of specific areas who have been most affected by the pandemic.

The sorts of groups that can get involved include:
  • Community venues and spaces
  • Arts/ Music/ Sports
  • Social groups (Rotary or WIs)
  • Organisations for older people
  • Care Homes & Carers
  • Schools & Childcare providers
  • Providers of meals services
  • Foodbanks/ Mutual Aid
  • Organisations for young people
  • Health & Support Groups
Paper Plate Tissue Paper Rainbow
This project is for people who are most in need in our community, for example those who:
  • Have physical or mental health conditions or disabilities
  • Are neuro-diverse or have learning disabilities
  • Experience social isolation and loneliness
  • Are struggling financially
  • Older people / Young People
  • Carers, Parents & Guardians
  • Have experienced bereavement or loss

How can we get involved?

Lots of brightly coloured craft supplies on a worktop
A lady with a box of craft materials sits in a wheelchair with very funky whale spoke guards on the wheels, outside of a door with brickwork witherside. She has a joyful bee bag by her side and a big smile on her face.

These include:

 

  • Distributing Craft Activity Packs to your community
  • Decorating a window or space with your creative makes
  • Providing a pick-up point for the packs
  • Hosting an in-person session with your group led by our team (limited availability)
A man holds two craft projects with a big smile on his face. One looks like a dreamcatcher and the other a paper curled bird with a gradient of colour.

What's in the Craft Activity Packs?

Rainbow Envelope Contents

Our rainbow craft packs are bursting full of colourful, easy to make crafts for the whole family to enjoy. Check out our website to see what's inside, watch tutorial videos and get free downloads. You'll also find more information about our work.

A mobile of multi-coloured balloons and white clouds made of paper, hanging in a window.
Multi-coloured, paper, bulb shaped, decorations hung in a window by string.
A card with a pop up hot air balloon inside and a speech bubble from the people riding the balloon - it's multi-coloured and has writing inside to the recipient.
Rainbow hearts made of strips of paper folded back on themselves in loops. They're hanging on a string in a window.
Three brightly coloured sheets of instructions for crafts. The top shows how to make a Macrame hot air balloon

Sign up to take part

It's really easy to get involved with the project, just follow the link and sign up. We will then be in touch to discuss specific arrangements for your group and answer your queries. We will make an arrangement to get a batch of packs to you and see if there are other ways in which we can support the work you do with your community.

©2019 The Singing Elf

The Singing Elf Ltd, Trading as The Singing Elf Social Enterprise, Company No. 12246373.

Registered Office: The Old Rectory, The Broadway, Houghton-le-Spring, DH4 4BB, United Kingdom