I was both excited and nervous in the lead up to the first of our family workshops on Saturday. Holly was assisting me this week and without knowing the group we would be meeting, it was tricky for Holly and I to plan accurately.

We were delighted to welcome a dynamic group of families into the studio. Holly and I expected that we would need to break the ice and bring people out of their shells, but we were pleasantly surprised to find the group were lively and enthusiastic. The ages in the room ranged from 5 years old to 60+ years old and it was wonderful to watch these different generations work together and share ideas.

We lead the group through a warm up that encouraged the group to get to know each other and work together. We then introduced The Princess Alice project and discussed what it might have been like to be on board the boat; what was the atmosphere on board? What activities might have been taking place? How were people enjoying their day trip? The group had some really great ideas. They were then set the challenge of recreating some of their ideas in a creative task.

It was amazing to see The Princess Alice research unfolding in a different way as the families came up with some of their own ideas. They were confident enough to show the rest of the group their creative work and it was inspiring to see how they had interpreted the task. It has certainly given me food for thought and I am really looking forward to seeing the group again after half term. This group are truly incredible… I am excited to see where this leads us next!

Keep your eyes peeled for more updates!