Community arts programme, Rock Paper Scissors, receives donation from the Fred. Olsen Community Fund

An Ipswich based community arts programme which offers free creative workshops to young learners, has received a £1,986 donation from Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines through the Fred. Olsen Community Fund.

Since 2019, grassroots arts programme Rock Paper Scissors has supported children and their families by providing an inclusive space to build confidence and curiosity through a variety of creative sessions and inspiring arts activities.

Workshops encourage the use of creativity to promote wellbeing while helping young artists to develop strategies for self-care and mindfulness, with each aspect of the art and design approached with sustainability in mind.

Peter Deer, Managing Director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:

“The Olsen family has a huge appreciation of art, and we have a number of wonderful paintings, drawings and sculptures on board our three ships which are testament to that.

“We also have impressive art studios across our fleet which are bright, airy spaces filled with arts and crafts materials allowing our guests who love to paint or draw at home to refine their skills at sea.

“To support organisations like Rock Paper Scissors expands our desire to embrace the joy that art can bring to so many, and we are thrilled that this grant will help this group reach more budding artists in their community.”

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines established the Fred. Olsen Community Fund in collaboration with Suffolk Community Foundation last year, thanks to a generous donation from their parent company, Bonheur. The fund supports initiatives close to the company’s heart, including maritime organisations, art groups, and projects helping local communities.

Projects run by Rock Paper Scissors have included working with Year 6 leavers at four local schools to create a mural next to the school, providing weekly imagination kits for children during the pandemic, offering online classes for adults and a wide variety of weekly projects for adults and our primary age and high school age young artists on Saturdays and in school holidays.

The donation from Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines will allow them to continue to run free weekly open studio sessions, giving participants to build confidence and aspirations whilst having creative support available from the team.

Chloe Peacock, Co-Director of Rock Paper Scissors, said:

“Ipswich includes some of the country’s most deprived neighbourhoods and one in five children live in income deprived households, so this relatively new service arrived at a time when people are really struggling with the cost of living crisis.

“Our funding carried us through to Christmas, but we know how valuable it has been and want to see it continue so we are very grateful for this grant which will contribute towards staffing and resources costs as well as purchasing food for the lunch club aspect of the project.

“The weekly open studio will run all day every Wednesday and provide a warm space, food, a co-working space, a chance to learn new art skills from local artists and a community hub.”

The project works alongside numerous local partner organisations, such as Colchester and Ipswich Museums, Suffolk Libraries, Suffolk Rape Crisis and Ipswich Jobcentre Plus.

For more information on Rock Paper Scissors and to learn about their upcoming events, visit: https://www.rockpaperscissors.org.uk/

For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit www.fredolsencruises.com