Tenterfield Shire Mayor Peter Petty, left, Minister for Western NSW Adam Marshall and Make It Tenterfield’s Ruth Rutherford celebrate a $59,203 State Government grant.
Wednesday, 3 June 2020
TENTERFIELD’S young, creative minds will be given the opportunity to develop their artistic talents through a series of local workshops, with Minister for Western NSW Adam Marshall today announcing a $59,203 State Government for not-for-profit organisation, Make It Tenterfield.
Mr Marshall said Make It Tenterfield had been operating for just over a year and had played an important role in strengthening community wellbeing and social inclusion.
“While most people in our region have experienced the effects of drought and bushfire over the past eighteen months, few have put up with it as long as the residents of Tenterfield,” Mr Marshall said.
“Tenterfield’s first bushfires started in February 2019 and since then it has been disaster on disaster, with fires in September entering the township at the same time it’s water supply was about to run dry.
“Workshops at Make It Tenterfield have helped residents, both young and old, relieve the emotional stress associated with these events
“Once COVID-19 restrictions have been eased, this grant will allow Make It Tenterfield to hold fourteen artistic workshops, building skills in jewellery making, painting, tie-dying and paper sculptures.
“I think this is a very worthwhile initiative which will greatly support the emotional wellbeing of Tenterfield’s most important asset – it’s young people,” Mr Marshall said
Make It Tenterfield’s Ruth Rutherford said the workshops were targeted at Tenterfield’s young people, who have not been spared the recent hardship.
“We have such a wealth of creative talent in Tenterfield and I think these workshops will be an important outlet for young people to express themselves, network and forget about the difficulties of the past two years,” Ms Rutherford said.
“Each workshop will be delivered by a local facilitator and will have the capacity for 10 to 12 attendees. We operate out of a space above Mitre 10 which was kindly given to our group for free for two years, allowing us to grow and weather the current hard times.
“COVID-19 restrictions will dictate when these workshops can be started, but we are keen to have them up and running by mid-June and to have all 14 workshops completed by May 2021.
“There is nothing more therapeutic than creating something with your hands. Some of the skills we aim to teach are unique and not in common use these days and I hope we are able to create joy through the hand made.”