Raspberry Creatives Community Events CIC is a merger and expansion of the work of Starry Valleys Family and Raspberry Creatives (previously Raspberry Bazaar). Starry Valleys Family was developed in the wake of the 2020 covid lockdowns and the resulting social isolation for families in valley communities in South Wales. Starting by delivering a circus club for children in the Dulais Valley, it quickly became apparent that there was a need for much more work to deliver creative and social opportunities to the communities badly affected by the fall out from covid. With funding from the Summer of Fun Fund from Neath Port Talbot Council and Powys Council, Starry Valleys delivered a programme of activities, workshops and events for families in Ystradgynlais, Coelbren, Seven Sisters and Crynant including circus skills, crafts, nature walks and activities, puppet show workshops and community fun days. Raspberry Bazaar was employed to deliver craft activities as part of this project. As the cost of living crisis began to make life even more difficult for valleys communities, further funding was secured from the Neath Port Talbot Playworks 'Winter of Wellbeing' Fund. Starry Valleys, along with Raspberry Creatives delivered another programme of activities and events during the school holidays, encouraging families to play together, giving struggling parents free activities and inspiration and ideas for play activities with their children at home. This project also delivered free meals for children during the school holidays. This project expanded our work to community centres in the Neath and Afan valleys.

The take up for these events and activity sessions was so high and the benefit to the communities was obvious.  Children and parents developed friendships and mutual support networks. parents told us they went away with new ideas, increased confidence and felt less isolated. More people were brought into the Community Centres and became aware of the services offered there. Community Centre staff told us they wanted more activities but were struggling to find funding and lacked the time and resources to deliver activities themselves.

At the conclusion of this 'Starry Winter Valley' project we sat down to decide how best to take this work forward, recognising the need for more activities, to expand the reach of the work geographically and the scope of the community work. Community Centre staff told us that, as well as activities for families, they needed more provision fro young people aged 11 to 25. Raspberry Creatives had been delivering craft workshops to adults and we knew the power of these sessions to bring people out of isolation, build community and positively affect the mental health of those who had been badly impacted by both isolation following covid and the cost of living crisis. We had also been approached on multiple occasions by those working with the elderly in care homes regarding possible 'Memory Lane' sessions.

We decided to pool our talents and resources and we are now a Community Interest Company, Limited by Guarantee.

Raspberry Creatives Community Events CIC no. 14865439

​