Art project paints welcoming picture of Goldthorpe church

A creative community art project is painting a welcoming picture of Goldthorpe Salvation Army as a warm space open to all. 

The Welcome Mat project encouraged members of the community to get crafty and design and make their own piece of artwork as part of a textile display which will tour the Dearne Valley in South Yorkshire to highlight the community support offered by the church and charity. 

People were invited into the community hall in Straight Lane every day during ‘Blue Monday’ week, which is said to be the most depressing time of the year, to make their contribution, culminating in a celebration on the Friday with food, cakes, community activities and the chance for people to see the artwork before it goes on tour. 

The project was inspired by a national ‘Welcome Mat’ project by The Launchpad Collective, a charity that supports refugees into work, which saw 250 refugees and asylum seekers contribute towards a three-metre textile aimed at communicating a ‘heartfelt welcome’ to anyone forcibly displaced from their homes by conflict, persecution or climate change. The Mat is travelling across the country from its home in Brighton and is currently on display at Goldthorpe Salvation Army.  

Territorial Envoy Alison Sykes, who leads Goldthorpe Salvation Army alongside Community Programme Co-ordinator Jackie Kenning, said: “The idea behind this is to show that everyone is welcome at Goldthorpe Salvation Army, no matter who you are or where you come from.

“Jackie and I and all the volunteers work really hard to make sure we give everyone the right welcome. People can be shy or nervous when they first come in, especially if they are asking for help so we just want to make sure people know they are in a place where they won’t be judged or turned away. 

“We have the big textile ‘Welcome Mat’ banner on display, which was made in Brighton by asylum seekers and refugees and has made its way to Goldthorpe, via Doncaster and Rotherham. It’s come to us because we have been working closely with organisation Migrant Action over the past few years as we support more refugees and asylum seekers who have settled in the area. 

“Our own Welcome Mat is very simple, it’s a duvet cover and everyone gets a patch to do their own creative artwork on then we will put it on a clothes rail and take it on our own trail of the Dearne valley.

“We wanted everyone to get involved whether they thought they had creative skills or not, I have no skills in sewing or anything like that but I can do sticking! We had glue, glitter, pens, old CDs, wool, thread, buttons, feathers and flags from countries like Nigeria where a lot of our families come from. We wanted to get people together, uplift them and encourage them to have a go even if they don’t see themselves as being artistic.” 

For volunteer Chrissy* who contributed to the project, art at Goldthorpe Salvation Army has been a way for her to improve her mental health. 

She said: “I enjoy doing something creative. There’s a community artist who comes to The Salvation Army every few weeks and I do a lot of art with her, it is nice to sit with no one judging me and to be with someone who has time for me. We created some wooden keys that I have in my garden. Being creative it takes my mind off other stuff, I can focus on something different.” 

Another participant and volunteer who created an artwork around The Salvation Army shield, said: “I enjoyed it, this shows that you don’t need to be crafty or creative to take part in things like this, I am not creative in anyway whatsoever and I managed to do it! Alison and Jackie are amazing for what they do in the community and for encouraging people to try something different.” 

And another volunteer added: “I enjoyed being part of the Welcome Mat. I love crafting, I have a big imagination for crafting and my daughter too, she loved it.” 

For more information on Goldthorpe and where you can see the Welcome Mat search for Goldthorpe Salvation Army on Facebook. 

*name changed