Angela draws on artistic talent to beat lockdown
DEVELOPING her lifelong interest in drawing over recent years has really helped ‘a bonny girl’ through the ups and downs of lockdown.
Angela Holt, from Waterfoot, loves art and it has provided a real outlet for her while she was shielding and unable to get out and about as much during the pandemic.
Independent Angela, who has Down’s Syndrome, attends the arts and crafts group at Stubbylee Greenhouses in Bacup where she also works – and loves meeting friends at Mencap and going out for a drink.
She missed that social interaction when the groups were forced to close, but is happy they are slowly starting to reopen again.
Recently the 40-year-old Manchester City fan has wowed family and friends with her “amazing” brightly coloured compositions, including parrots and witches, and even a City club badge which she made for her friend.
Her mum Brenda, 73, said: “She has always been interested in drawing since she has been a little girl. She does it all the time. She is very artistic; her colouring is immaculate. My friend Sharon does art and helps her out. Sharon helps her draw, and Angela does all the colouring. She sent my niece [Julie] some drawings and pictures and our Julie said ‘Aunty Brenda; these are amazing; how long has she been doing this?!”
Angela has been staying with her mum Brenda throughout lockdown as she has previously been in supported living and also lived with her late father.
“When this lockdown happened last year she came home,” said Brenda, of Joe Connolly Way.
“They said can she come home and I said she can stop with me until it opens up. She’s very independent and can do little jobs. She is a bonny girl. At the beginning of this year she went into a bit of a depression because she said she wanted to see her friends.
“She’s got settled with me, and has been here two years, but she’s got a lot of friends in Mencap.”
Angela was attending Stubbylee four days a week, but currently attends on Wednesdays only, as services gradually return to normal.
Providing support to hundreds of people a year, their projects offer social contact, courses and life transforming interventions for members of the community, particularly those who face the challenges of mental ill health, social isolation or unemployment.
“It’s a garden centre, but they do all sorts up there,” said Brenda. “It’s a social group, but a lot of people are there for a reason. She’s the only one with Down’s Syndrome up there, and they love her.”
Angela said the best thing about being an artist is using different colours and felt tips and paints, and canvasses of all different sizes.
She said: “I do it every day, night time as well. Last Wednesday when I went to Stubbylee I saw my friends. I do my hands, sanitise and mask, and social distance. I like walking as well and football, horse riding and wrestling.”
Also before lockdown, Angela had been enjoying going to watch Manchester City matches along with her neighbour and family friend Carol Carter. Both Angela and Carol have been inducted into the Mary D’s Bluebells fans’ group and through that have got to meet famous City fans such as Liam Gallagher and Ricky Hatton.
Angela said: “My favourite players are Aguero and Mahrez and De Bruyne. They’re better than [Manchester] United!”
Carol said Angela is upset about striker Sergio Aguero’s imminent departure from the Blues, but they are hoping to arrange for her to meet him if possible.
“She knows everything about it,” said Carol. “She will shout ‘Hey sexy legs’ to Kevin de Bruyne! She is an absolutely superb girl and her drawings are fabulous and her mum looks after her. She lives her life to the full.”