Creative way to celebrate food bank

ARTS for Rutland has joined forces with actor Nicholas Collett to create a podcast bringing stories and people into the spotlight.

Live & Local LivingRoom was launched last summer in response to the pandemic as a way to connect communities during a difficult time, pairing community groups with professional artists to work on a creative project together.

Moving beyond lockdown, the initiative will continue to enable communities to collaborate creatively, connect with artists, build relationships and try something new.

Following a call for ideas, the LordLieutenant suggested the focus of the podcast should be on the food bank and the way it had expanded during the pandemic due to pockets of poverty and circumstantial changes.

Nicholas worked with the food bank and volunteers over Zoom to produce an audio piece about their story.

The piece about Rutland’s areas of need also celebrates community spirit and how new food bank volunteers were recruited during the pandemic, due to concerns for some older members of the team.

Joy Everitt, chairman of Arts for Rutland, said: “Arts for Rutland was delighted to be involved with the LivingRoom project and we were so pleased to be partnered with Nicholas Collett.

“The final podcast produced by Nicholas was so engaging and thoughtfully told that it drew the audience into the whole experience.

“We were delighted that the piece was broadcast on Stamford and Rutland Sound community radio station. It is an interesting footnote that the chairman of the Rutland Food bank received an MBE in the Queen’s Honours list.”

Sophie Kirk, Live & Local’s community engagement officer for Rutland, said: “The creative works produced by the pairings have been utterly uplifting and inspiring.”

To view the podcast: