Run With It Charity programme gives schoolchildren ‘Art and Soul’

Schoolchildren from Walkington School in East Yorkshire have been given the opportunity to design and make greetings cards that are being sold alongside professional artists’ work in Beverley. 

It’s all part of a 10-week learning programme, led by the educational Run With It charity from its base in the town’s Flemingate shopping centre.

Kate Hill, Lead Teacher at Run With It, which raises the levels of literacy and numeracy right across Hull and East Yorkshire, said this is just one of their hugely popular programmes that benefits children in the region.

“Our whole aim is to take children out of the classroom, give them real life skills in more informal settings and make learning fun. So, in this case, the Flemingate Shopping Centre is their classroom – and they leave us as published artists, feeling so inspired, it’s lovely to witness. They design and create something that is tangible, that a member of the public can actually buy from Art and Soul in Flemingate. There is a permanent display inside the shop just for our children and it’s really popular with buyers. 

“In the past, we’ve had children from other schools who want to go back into the shop with their parents to buy their own card and find that it’s already been sold. Of course, they are devastated at that point, but the pride that they feel when they realise that someone loved their work so much they’ve taken it home with them, that’s priceless.”

Art and Soul, a vibrant cultural hub for Beverley, gives over one hundred local artists a high street location to sell their work. It has now picked Run With It as its chosen charity and regularly collaborates on this project. 

Erin Bullough is Art and Soul’s customer service apprentice and works with the students when they come into the shop. She said:

“It is a pleasure to work with the students and charity, talking to them about all things art and creativity. It’s imperative that young students should be allowed to get creative, as it is not only proven to help mental health, it also shows that there are career options that can celebrate their creativity and ideas.”

Lisa Dawson, Director of Run With It, said:

“This is such an amazing opportunity for the children to gain valuable creative and business skills that will undoubtedly stay with them for the rest of their lives. Not all children thrive in the traditional classroom environment so by taking them into a a real-life setting, they are developing Maths and English skills without even realizing it, while at the same time increasing their self-esteem and confidence and developing aspirations and employability skills for the future.”

The greetings cards are sold for £1 each with all proceeds going back to the charity.

Run With It currently has four education centres at Hull’s MKM stadium, Bridlington Town Football Club, the Flemingate shopping centre in Beverley and Sewell Group Craven Park in East Hull.

For more information about Run With It, please visit https://www.runwithithull.co.uk/