IT’S beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, thanks to a little help from the King’s Trust.
The Little Elborow Street venue’s Christmas tree has been decorated by young people from Rugby College’s King’s Trust team, who held a series of after-school workshops with primary school children to create the tree’s decorations.
The event was the culmination of a 12-week programme in which 12 young people gained new skills, earned a qualification and met like-minded people.
The Christmas tree is now in the window of the gallery, featuring King’s Trust branded decorations. The children who took part in the workshops will be able to take their decorations home from January.
Nichola Manzella, The King’s Trust Team leader for WCG, which runs Rugby College, said: “The team had brilliant feedback from the parents. It was an invaluable exercise to develop communication skills and give experience of event planning too.
“It was funded entirely by charity fundraising by the team, which was important as they wanted to make sure it was free of charge for parents at a time of year when finances can be tight for families.”
The team put the festive finishing touches to the tree ahead of the launch of Rugby Art Gallery and Museum’s free Christmas programme of children’s arts and crafts activities.
The programme starts on Saturday (December 21) with the first in a series of Festive Craft Creations workshops.
The free, self-led sessions allow visitors to rummage through the Art Gallery’s store of craft supplies and let imaginations go wild, unleashing a festive feast of Christmas creativity.
The Festive Craft Creations workshops take place from 10.30am to 3.30pm on Saturday 21, Tuesday 24, Saturday 28 and Tuesday 31 December, with the final workshop on Friday January 2.
A hunt for lost Christmas decorations scattered around the Art Gallery and Museum starts on Saturday, with children who complete the challenge and find all the missing decorations entered into a free prize draw.
And the final Relaxed Hour of 2024 takes place from 10.30am to 11.30am on Monday (December 23), when neurodivergent visitors can explore the Art Gallery and Museum in a calm, relaxed environment.
Before the launch of the Christmas programme, Rugby Art Gallery and Museum also plans to give its regular Mini Explorers and Mini Makers sessions (Tuesdays during term-time) and the Good Times workshop on Thursday December 19 a sprinkle of Christmas magic.
Coun Maggie O’Rourke, Rugby Borough Council’s spokesperson for partnerships and wellbeing, said: “The free programme of Christmas children’s activities offers families the chance to enjoy some festive fun at the Art Gallery and Museum, which always has a special atmosphere at this time of year.
“We’re delighted to have worked with the King’s Trust team at Rugby College who, with the help of local school children, have done such a marvellous job of decorating the Christmas tree.”
The King’s Trust – formerly known as the Prince’s Trust – helps young people to build the skills and confidence to live, learn and earn through training courses, enterprise initiatives and mentoring opportunities.
While running the workshops, the King’s Trust volunteers also took part in a creative careers talk with the team at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, exploring the wide range of job opportunities available in the arts and heritage sector.
Visit www.ragm.co.uk for more information on activities, events and exhibitions at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum.
