CLIENTS of The Minehead Hope Centre have collaborated with artist and facilitator Anna Fraser to create a colourful vinyl tablecloth which is on display at The Beach Hotel for the next few weeks.

The Hope Centre is run by volunteers to support change in people in the local community who are challenged by addiction or homelessness.

The tablecloth project’s aim was to engage as many people as possible, encouraging them to ‘have a go’ even if they felt inhibited by a lack of artistic ability or had not been creative since school days. 

The weekly sessions to create the tablecloth, measuring 140cm x 200cm, took place over three months.

Clients were encouraged to express themselves using whichever of the donated art materials they felt drawn to, in the form of books, magazines and objects which were brought by Anna to the sessions in her ‘Shopping Trolley of Inspiration’. 

As a result, the images on the cloth contain personal reflections and experimental techniques freshly discovered by the participants as they were given free rein, with guidance if they needed it. 

Memory, musings, music, imagination and observation are encompassed in the work and each piece has its own story.

The images are drawn using chalk pastel, oil pastel, watercolour, felt tips and pencil.

There are photos of origami, of decorated bottles and an example of collage. Two images are particularly poignant as they are a memorial to one of the participants who died recently.

Hope Centre project manager Ian McLaren said: “The proven benefits of taking part in creative activity include being therapeutic and motivational, raising self esteem and helping development of specific skills.

“All areas that will help people at the Hope Centre get their lives back on track. We are so grateful to Anna for her dedication in helping others. Having their work shared in public is really encouraging for our clients.”

All are welcome to attend the Beach Hotel’s community supper which takes place on the first and third Wednesday of the month.