Stepping out of our comfort zones - Reflecting on the Newcastle Carers X Mortal Fools project10/14/2025 We've recently had the opportunity to work with Newcastle Carers' Young Adult Carers (YAC) group, to co-design a creative project using different art forms, to support them to express themselves and share their ideas and experiences. It's been wonderful to work with a talented and imaginative core group of 10 young adults who have have come to each session with bucket loads of ideas. They have always been up for stepping out of their comfort zones and giving things a go, growing skills in music making, art, photography, film making and more. Equally it's been lovely to share experiences and skills with Newcastle Carers' team. This is our first project working with a carers group and the skills and knowledge we've developed will help us better support young carers in all our projects. This project concluded with the 'Imagine A World...' showcase event, that gave audiences the chance to see the world through the eyes of this unique group of young adult carers. To share more we invited Lydia the Young Carers Groups and Activities Worker at Newcastle Carers and Amy a participant in the project to share their experiences. Read on for the full interviews:  Newcastle Carers and Mortal Fools staff teams. Lydia is front row second from the left. Interview with Lydia Chadwick - Young Carers Groups and Activities Worker What is your role at Newcastle Carers? I am the young carers groups and activities worker. We provide activities for young carers aged 8-25 to support them in having break from their caring roles, make friends who have similar experiences to them and have lots of fun. What did you learn during the Newcastle Carers X Mortal Fools project? I learnt a lot about the young people. It was great to do a project that could highlight their creative abilities. We have singers, artists, creative writers, actors, music writers, rappers, and so many more in our groups that I didn’t know we had. I loved being able to see them bring their talents into the project. What are some of the biggest ‘wins’ of the project from your perspective? The biggest wins for me have been the young people being able to overcome some of the fears they expressed at the beginning of the project. From saying “I don’t want to be on camera” or “I don’t want my voice on anything”, to being featured in parts of the music and videos they made. They’ve gained so much confidence and we’re all so proud of them.  Sketchbook describing activities from the project. What are some of the barriers young adult carers face in taking part in creative activities? Young people in general can lack confidence, particularly if they are anticipating doing something that might be “on display” for others to see. Young carers don’t always get opportunities to delve into their creativity for many reasons, whether that’s because they lack confidence, or because they don’t have the time. It can even be not actually knowing what opportunities are available to them. It was great to be able to provide them with time dedicated to being creative and invite them into a space they know and with people they trust. What are some of the things we did working together on this project to make it accessible? Kate and Jess did a really great job of gauging what the young people would be comfortable with and encouraging them to take part just the right amount throughout the sessions. It meant over time they felt more and more able to do things that might have been outside of their comfort zone when they started. It was also really great to have that open communication with Kate about where the project was heading. She could understand a bit more about the young people’s needs from our perspective and support me by telling me where the project was going so we could encourage the young carers to come along. What was your favourite moment from the project? My favourite moment from the project was at the showcase when I went into the music room to listen to Life With No Limits. I went in with some of the showcase guests and one of the young people, who sang on the track, and their grandparents. As this young person’s voice came through singing in the chorus, their grandad looked at them with so much pride and pulled them in for a hug. It was just such a sweet moment and I had to look away to stop myself from crying (of happiness of course)!  Photo from 'Imagine A World' showcase. Interview with Amy - YACs group participantHow did you get involved in the project? It was Lydia who told me there was the opportunity to join it, and it was something new, so I thought I’d give it a go. How have you developed your sense of achievement during the project? Working towards the end goal gave me the courage to keep working. I had no idea what it would end up as; it felt good to share what I had spent weeks doing. What is something you are proud of during the project and why? The personal art things I was most proud of. I did some drawings, and it was the first time I'd been able to show my art. It was nice for people to look at those things and be like, 'you did that'.  Photo of Amy's drawing from 'Imagine A World' showcase What impact has being involved in the project had for you outside of the session? It's helped with confidence and speaking to new people because most of the people I'd not met so it gave me a chance to speak to new people. The more I spent time with people, the more I got closer to them, and I just got to talk to them more. You can speak about caring stuff with them so it helped to build the relationship. The 'Secret Lives of Young People' film focused on the average week of young people and featured one scene where a young person was unable to rearrange plans because of their caring responsibilities. How do you think young adult carers' lives are similar and different from other young adults? Especially with education, it makes it so much harder. Now I’m in uni every week is not the same. And I was used to the school structure, so making plans is very hard, and it’s difficult to move around and change them. What is something you have learnt in the sessions that you can use in the future? There were things I'd never thought of doing before, so the prompts helped me be more creative cause it kind of expanded my thinking. What was your favourite moment from the project? The music activity cause it was nice to listen to it and see how it came together. I wasn’t in that one, so there was less anxiety just listening to it! The showcase was a highlight too.  Photo from 'Imagine A World' showcase. Big thank you to Lydia and Amy for sharing their experiences! If you'd like to find out more about the Newcastle Carers Project and view short films and artwork created by the group click the button below:
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Full Circle Food Project are a brilliant organisation that provides cooking classes, gardening groups, workshops, meals and more in Ashington and beyond - all with the aim of ensuring everyone has access to delicious healthy food. Over the summer we had the lovely opportunity to partner with Full Circle Food Project and Ashington Family Hub for our HAF 'Creativity Unleashed' workshops, providing creative activities alongside tasty, nutritious lunches. Full Circle Food Project provided a variety of customisable meals filled with gorgeous fresh fruit and vegetables, some of which were grown just down the road in their community allotment at Hirst Park. It was great to see the young people enjoying delicious healthy meals and stepping out of their comfort zones to try new foods. For us it was also an opportunity to get to know Full Circle Food Projects' staff and volunteers better and find out more about their work. There is so much to learn from their approach to food and people! For this guest blog we've invited their Chief Executive Michelle Brannigan to talk about their work, the importance of maintaining a strong food culture, and how we can all learn about sustainable growing and cooking and take small steps to tackle food insecurity. Check out the full blog below:  Michelle (pictured on the back row, second from the left) with her team at Full Circle Food Project. Tell us about Full Circle Food Project and your role in the organisation? Full Circle Food Project (FCFP) is a charity based in Ashington, focused on helping people lead a healthier, sustainable lifestyle. We believe food is central to health, well-being, and community connection, so we combine gardening, cooking, and group activities to make nutritious food more accessible and enjoyable. We aspire to create a future where everyone has access to nutritious food, understands its value, and embraces sustainable, healthy lifestyle and wellbeing practices. As CEO, I’m responsible for the overall leadership and direction of the organisation. That means setting and delivering on our strategy, ensuring strong governance, and managing our finances so the charity remains sustainable and resilient. A big part of my role is also about building partnerships, securing funding, and making sure we have the right structures in place so that our team and volunteers can thrive. I work closely with our trustees to maintain good governance, and I represent the organisation externally, championing our mission and making sure the voices of the people we work with are heard. While I don’t always get to be hands-on in the garden or kitchen, my role is about creating the conditions for those projects to flourish and grow.  Photo from HAF Creativity Unleashed workshop What’s it been like working with Mortal Fools on the HAF project? Is there anything you’ve learnt or will take away for future projects? It’s been inspiring to work with Mortal Fools. Their creative approach brings a fresh dimension to our food projects, particularly with young people, making sessions not just practical but also fun and expressive. For our part, we ran a potato station and a pasta station, encouraging children to try different foods and to see how something as simple as a potato or pasta can be transformed into an enjoyable meal. By creating an experience around these staple foods, the young people were able to explore, taste, and learn in a way that felt engaging and non-intimidating. It showed us how combining creativity with food can really help young people build confidence and curiosity around healthy eating, and that’s something we’ll carry forward into future projects.  Photo from HAF Creativity Unleashed workshop In what ways do you think food helps us connect and relate to each other? Food is a universal connector. Sharing a meal, cooking side by side, or gardening together helps to break down barriers and build trust. It doesn’t matter what your background or culture is; food brings people together across generations and cultures. It’s a natural way to start conversations and build relationships. Your organisation combines gardening, cooking and community activities. Why do you think it’s important to have a holistic approach to food? We think about food as a whole journey (from farm to fork) rather than just what’s on the plate. Gardening connects people to nature and where food comes from. Cooking builds essential life skills and confidence. And the community activities give people a chance to share and learn from each other. This holistic approach creates longer-lasting change and a deeper appreciation of food, compared to tackling just one part of the picture.  Photo from HAF Creativity Unleashed workshop Why do you think it’s particularly hard for people to access nutritious food now, and is there anything individuals can do to help? The cost-of-living crisis, rising energy and food prices, and pressures on time and resources make nutritious food harder to access. For some, it’s also about confidence in the kitchen, knowing how to cook from scratch, how to eke out meals and make the most of what’s available, such as yellow sticker items or leftovers. Individuals can help by supporting local food projects, volunteering their time, sharing knowledge, or donating surplus produce. Even small actions, like cooking with friends or starting a conversation about food, can help build a stronger food culture. How can people get involved with the work of Full Circle Food Project? There are lots of opportunities to get involved. People can volunteer in our community garden, in our cooking classes or at our engagement events, helping out on stalls or just help washing up! As well as help us to connect to more people and communities by advocating for our organisation and helping us spread the word about living a healthy lifestyle. We also welcome partnerships with local schools and organisations and support from individuals who share our vision. Anyone interested can reach us through our website or follow us on social media to find out more. Our email is [email protected]. Big thank you to Michelle and everyone at Full Circle Food Project!
We are excited to be working with Full Circle Good Project and Ashington Family Hub once again on 29th October to provide more fun creative activities and yummy food to young people in Ashington. Click the button below to check out our FREE Creative Sparks workshop for ages 5-11: |
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