Artizan International have been given a one-off anonymous donation to purchase a town-centre premises in Harrogate, which will be become their new HQ.
Artizan International was previously called Craft Aid International. The charity is about enabling, empowering and supporting differently-able people in the UK and developing world through creative, therapeutic activities, crafts training and social enterprise. They have projects with trainees in Ecuador, Peru and the UK
Susie Hart of Artizan International said:
It will include a cafe, shop, crafts studio and office! It currently belongs to The Hub, a network of local churches serving the local community.
They will be continuing their excellent work as a network, and are very kindly selling their former building to us for a sum which has been donated
It really has been a bit of a miracle, as we desperately needed more space ! The building has three floors and is situated at 39 Oxford Street.
The ground floor will be a café and shop, where we will sell the crafts made by differently-able people at our projects in Ecuador and Peru; the middle floor will be a crafts studio where we will run our weekly crafts sessions for differently-able adults and children; and the top floor will have our office plus an area for storing finished goods and packing orders.
We’re still very much in the process of planning all the different activities that will happen in the new premises and working out a timetable for when things will happen.
Susie added:
The timing of this move couldn’t be better as we were desperate for more working space.
It’s a huge answer to prayer! Artizan will be a beacon of light and hope in the town centre of Harrogate, a place of wonder and welcome, just as our overseas projects are.
The move will happen after Easter.
Sounds great and will be supporting them.
But I’m hoping the craft studio has a lift to get to it as some of us differently abled will not be able to get to it. Which will be disappointing.