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The FCV Dorcas Art Club recently hosted a tea party at The Bridge Centre to unveil their new mosaic, created with funding allocated by local Canonbury councillor Clare Jeapes.

Cllr Jeapes was keen to support the work of the Art Club and awarded a £300 grant from Islington Council’s Local Initiative Fund (LIF), a small grants scheme that supports activities and improvements in the borough.

The Art Club is a support service offered by FCV Dorcas, who work to support isolated older people, and is run by volunteer organiser Faye Zubaidi. The club meets weekly at the Bridge Centre, N1, and produces art and craft projects, occasionally exhibiting and selling their work to put the funds back into the Group.

Councillor Clare Jeapes said:

“As a local councillor I was delighted to support the Dorcas Art Club, and it was wonderful to be invited to see one of the mosaics unveiled.

“Initiatives like the Dorcas Art Club provide an important social network for older people who might otherwise feel isolated, as well as helping them to get creative. There is a strong sense of community among Art Club members, and it’s clear that club members really enjoy producing their art and craft projects.

“The social element of groups like the Dorcas Art Club are really important when loneliness and social isolation can be such an issue for older people. I am proud that combatting loneliness and ensuring that Islington continues to be a caring borough is a priority for Islington Labour, and as a community champion for Canonbury I am committed to working to combat isolation and loneliness in the ward I represent. I urge other groups and individuals who are doing good work and bringing people together in Islington to consider applying for LIF funding.”

Art Club organiser Faye Zubaidi said:

“We’re grateful to Cllr Jeapes for supporting our Art Club with a LIF grant, and as you can see we’ve put it to good use and used some of that funding to create a mosaic. Several members of the Art Club played a part in creating this piece, and if you look closely you can see the names of some of our artists. The mosaic has been installed at The Bridge as a thank you for allowing our Art Club to meet there once a week.

“The Art Club is a great opportunity to get creative and socialise for older people in the area, and we have several regular members and committed volunteers. After mosaics, the next challenge is crochet and knitting, and I know our members always look forward to learning a new creative skill.”

The FCV Dorcas are looking for volunteers for a variety of roles, including befrienders, office administrators, drivers and lunch club helpers. If you’d like to learn new skills, meet new people and make a difference for your local community find out more online:  http://fcv-dorcas.org.uk/volunteering/how-to-volunteer

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