Community Inclusion Project

As the weather gets warmer the Muto bus has hosted its first childrens’ craft party of the year for a group of 5 year olds. 12 children attended the party and they made RagDolls as requested.

At the beginning of April 2x new starter batteries were fitted to the bus so it could start to travel across the County for workshops and events. The first event was the Drop-In Open Day on April 6th. The event was well attended and 18 people came onboard the bus to talk about the project

The Monday group at The Falcon Centre now supports residents to learn how to repair their own clothing either by hand or using a machine.

The Tuesday group at Fearon Hall continues to be well attended and a popular group. Participants are showing a real creative talent and are producing some lovely pieces of upcycling. A volunteer who is a textile artist and has been passing on her skills to the group each week with new materials and themes.

The County Wide implementation began on April 18th when Muto began workshops at Agar Nook community centre. 8 people attended the group and feedback was really positive. Abilities were mixed and all participants were either low income, socially isolated , NEET or experiencing mental ill health.

The Sapcote Sewers decided that their theme for the next 6 weeks will be upcycled textile brooches as these will be affordable at events and festivals. The group will also make another patchwork quilt for Muto's online Etsy shop.

April 30th was the first workshop at the Warwick Way Estate as part of the County Wide roll out.

Shepshed Changes, Glenmore Centre 12 people attended the workshop on Wednesday 9th May to make reusable tote bags. 

On Thursday 10th May the second in a series of upcycling workshops at The Athena, Leicester with National Citizen Service students. Each workshop was well attended and students on this cohort were all ESOL or SEN. Students made Bags For Life and upcycled brooches from donated fabrics.

“Thank you so much for coming along to the Athena the last few weeks and running your workshops, all of the prep and resources you prepared were so great and it was definitely voted the best workshops from the staff let alone the young people”

The Greenplace, Drop-In upcycling workshop for the local community. 4 attended. 

Muto has agreed to be part of Arts Council funded Health and Wellbeing trail on June 17th in Loughborough. The bus will be positioned outside the Toby Carvery on Forest Road and be part of a creative wellbeing trail across Loughborough. 

On May 17th I met with the Loughborough Wellbeing Café. It was agreed that Muto would join the wellbeing café with drop-in workshops every Thursday afternoon from September.