19
Nov
Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal: Transforming lives through creativity
Raworths is proud to support the Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal 2025 for the fantastic work of Henshaws. All money raised goes directly to this charity.
This year's Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal aims to raise £5,000 towards two new creative workshops at Henshaws Arts and Crafts Centre in Knaresborough.
The new space will help ease the waiting list for places and enable more people with sight loss and other disabilities to shine through creativity.
Please support our appeal this Christmas and donate whatever you can.
The magic of Christmas creativity
For many of us, getting creative at Christmas brings joy and togetherness. From handmaking cards to crafting decorations, there’s something uniquely blissful about artistic creation during the festive season.
It’s a magical time, too, for students at Henshaws’ arts and crafts workshops. Known as Artmakers, they are busier than ever during the festive season, making gifts, decorations and a multitude of stars for the charity’s Christmas events and the Handmade at Henshaws gift shop.
Among them is Jenna Foster.
‘Art at Henshaws has made a huge difference to Jenna’s life’
With a passion for printing, Jenna is busy making some beautiful festive notelets using lino print.
She has hand-drawn a variety of snowflakes – all her own design – which have been cut out in a piece of lino. She then prints the designs on paper with her choice of a rich purple ink.
Jenna has learned to make high-quality lino prints.
Jenna’s confidence and enjoyment makes it all look effortless – and it’s a sign of just how much she has flourished since joining the centre 15 years ago.
Shaeron Caton Rose, Jenna’s printing workshop leader, says:
Transforming lives at Christmas and beyond
For Jenna, the creative opportunities offered by Henshaws have been transformative – not just at Christmas, but all year round.
The centre promotes connection, inclusivity and inspiration through a personalised programme which allows Artmakers to follow their interests and abilities. Not only has Jenna discovered her love of printing, she has also been able to develop a range of artistic skills, including the challenge of drawing freehand. Shaeron adds:
Through creativity, we try to promote independence as well as confidence. We give our Artmakers the freedom and permission to learn, the chance to experiment and grow in their knowledge of materials and what they can do.
There is nothing else quite like this in the area, especially for people over the age of 18. The new workshops would open up so many options and enable more people to be creative at Henshaws.
Jenna Foster and her printing workshop leader, Shaeron Caton Rose.
Give the gift of creativity this Christmas
This Christmas, please donate whatever you can to help give people like Jenna the gift of creativity.
We are hugely grateful to Raworths Solicitors in Harrogate for their generous sponsorship of our appeal. This means that, however much you can give, it will go directly towards the new art space at Henshaws.
Take a look at the video below to see what your support means to the Artmakers at Henshaws, and PLEASE DONATE HERE.
0