The Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal 2025: ‘It’s a fabulous community’

‘Community’ is a word that Sally Daniels, the CEO of Henshaws, uses a lot.

She loves the fact that the charity’s Arts and Crafts Centre in Knaresborough brings together people with sight loss and other disabilities with people living locally in a space that everyone uses and enjoys. She says:

The centre is also part of an artistic community, driven by the workshop leaders who are “very talented artists in their own right and really passionate about art”, says Sally, and who “support the Artmakers and give them access to amazing skills.”

A joyful community

And at Christmas, the sense of community is stronger than ever. The centre is a sparkling, joyous place, with Artmakers busy painting, printing, weaving, sculpting and welcoming local residents to buy festive decorations and gifts at the shop or the Family Christmas Craft Fair.

The centre offers a safe, supportive and inspiring environment for people with disabilities to experience the many opportunities that creativity can bring.

Through tailored art workshops, they can develop confidence and independence, express themselves and explore their potential, and be sociable and build friendships.

And sharing their talents with the local community by making things to sell or put on display can offer a sense of purpose and achievement, too. Sally says:

What is the Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal for?

The Arts and Crafts Centre has been offering creative opportunities to disabled people for 20 years and now needs to expand its facilities. There’s nothing else like it for disabled and vision-impaired adults in the area, so demand is high and there is a waiting list.

The Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal is aiming to raise £5,000 to help Henshaws fulfil its ambition to build two new creative studios at the centre. This will enable the charity to welcome people currently on the waiting list so their lives can be enriched through creative opportunities.

The new studios will also allow for more and varied sessions – up to 200 a week – and will be a versatile space for the community, too. Sally says:

How to donate

Please donate whatever you can the Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal.

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of our appeal by Raworths Solicitors in Harrogate, all donations will go directly to the new creative workshops at Henhsaws. Sally adds:

What your donation means

Watch the video below to find out what your support means to Ollie, one of the Artmakers at Henshaws.

DONATE HERE