Wigan arts organisation to celebrate Queen’s jubilee in style thanks to lottery grant

Healthy Arts, based in Hindley, is one of 93 organisations to receive funding from the National Lottery to help mark the Queen’s milestone in June, as part of projects being rolled out nationwide.

It will use the £44,370 grant to work with Leigh Spinners Mill on a year-long arts and well-being project, which will result in new groups, workshops, community performances and an art exhibition.

This will help to bring people of various age groups and cultures together in the community and at the historic site, while enhancing knowledge of local history and nature as part of of three new creative groups, which will aim to continue into the future.

Schools, community groups and artists will be given the opportunity to come together using their creativity in workshops, which will include activities such as origami and haiku poetry, dance, creative writing, drama and performance, oral history storytelling, pottery and visual arts.

The 12-month project will lead up to a celebratory exhibition and closing party in spring 2023.

Martin Green, project manager at Healthy Arts, said: “After some difficult years for the arts, education and community sectors, we are proud to have received this funding that will help celebrate the Queen’s platinum jubilee in creative and locally meaningful ways.

"Thank you to all the National Lottery players that have made this possible.”

Jo Platt, general manager of Leigh Spinners Mill, said: “The year-long platinum jubilee project is important for the mill.

"It is essential for us to work alongside tenants, the community and Healthy Arts to mark such a significant celebration of our monarch.”

The National Lottery Community Fund launched the £3.5m Platinum Jubilee Fund in November, providing grants of up to £50,000 to 70 community projects across the UK, and has committed an additional £1m to a further 23 communities to ensure as many people as possible can come together for it.

The jubilee weekend will be celebrated with the Big Jubilee Lunch, supported by £2.3m of National Lottery funding, which will see people from all over the UK come together to hold thousands of community street parties.