During the local lockdown in Bolton, Bolton’s Fund made grants available to organisations who would carry out activities around raising awareness and instigate action regarding Covid-19.

At Breakdown Bolton, we ran an awareness programme that included several aspects in helping to protect our community and environment.

We produced hundreds of facemasks as part of socially distanced sewing days, via zoom workshops and through posting out craft packs to people who wanted to help those most in need. Whilst some of these facemasks were donated to people who knew the people who made them, a great deal more went to local causes such as Urban Outreach Bolton, Fort Alice, and Little Lever Life Support Group amongst others.

The awareness campaign was run at the same time and was a photography trail showing the impact that discarded facemasks have on our environment. This is currently on display upstairs, in a shop unit display window, in The Market Place Shopping Centre, Bolton, where it is currently.

Finally, those who took part in the project had the opportunity to contribute to a community quilt with messages of information, safety, and hope with regards to Covid and this will be displayed in our gallery window when this lockdown lifts later this spring.

This project was led by textiles artist Jennifer Gilmour and supported by other local artists with lived experience of mental illness. It ran between September and December 2020 in Bolton.

With thanks to Bolton’s Fund, Platform 5 Gallery for allowing us to use their workshop rooms, The Market Place Shopping Centre, and the people of Bolton for making this happen.

Some images from this project can be viewed below.