Blue

We are thrilled to announce that we have been awarded the Kirklees Volunteer Quality Award which recognises organisations which are delivering high quality volunteering in how they recruit, train and support volunteers. Volunteers play a key role in supporting our creative sessions at hoot and we are committed to giving them the best possible experience when volunteering with us.

The Kirklees Volunteering Quality Award is valid for 3 years and the process is managed by Third Sector Leaders Kirklees in partnership with Kirklees Council. It demonstrates that organisations are following national good practice in how they recruit, train and support volunteers. The Award is recognised across Yorkshire. Organisations are assessed across 8 criteria:

1. Volunteering in our organisation is open to everyone.  
2. The recruitment and selection of Volunteers is fair, consistent and efficient.  
3. There is a high-quality induction process for Volunteers.  
4. Volunteers are supported and supervised effectively.  
5. Volunteers are encouraged to develop their skills.  
6. Problems are addressed in relation to volunteering.  
7. Volunteers and others are kept safe.  
8. Volunteers are valued and have a positive experience. 

The Volunteering Quality Award panel identified a wide range of good practice through our evidence submitted and interviews including:

• Volunteers have clear roles, expectations and boundaries
• Staff understand the role of volunteers within the organisation and the value they bring.
• There are robust procedures relating to volunteering, in particular problem solving
• Volunteers are supported throughout their journey, including during the exit process.
• Quarterly reports recognise volunteer activity.

Thank you to our colleagues at Third Sector Leaders Kirklees, Kirklees Council and the TSL Kirklees Volunteer Managers Network for their support.

Find out more about the Kirklees Volunter Quality Award and how to apply here

hoot creative arts is looking for people with an interest in creativity and health, diverse voices and wide-ranging skills & experience to become trustees and help us to showcase how being creative makes us feel good.

This is an exciting time as hoot embarks on the next stage of its development. Joining our board now is a fantastic opportunity to help lead and develop the charitable company as we celebrate our 23rd birthday and look ahead to the next 20+ years.

At this pivotal moment for hoot, we wish to strengthen and diversify our board. We recognise the beneficial impact that diverse voices and lived experience has on the work we do, and we actively encourage applications from individuals from all backgrounds and communities, especially from Black and minority ethnic communities and other groups who are under-represented in our sector and societal structures.

As a trustee, you’ll need:

• Enthusiasm & interest in the creative arts and/or mental health
• To be a strong advocate for the charitable company
• Ideally, a specialism that will enable you to support hoot in a targeted area
  • Socially Engaged arts practice
  • Global majority perspectives
  • Disabilities and their impact on mental health
  • Local government systems and realities
  • NHS & Social Care
• To attend quarterly meetings and other sub committees or time limited task & finish groups
• Be committed to the Vision, Mission and Values of the charity

If you have some questions about whether becoming a trustee is a good fit for you, please contact us for an informal conversation before committing to applying: info@hootcreativearts.co.uk  

For more detailed information about hoot, our work and how to apply, please download the hoot trustee recruitment pack HERE

This is a rolling recruitment, and we will respond to applications as and when they come in so if you are curious, please reach out.

hoot creative arts’ Tuesday visual arts group visited The Red Dress at Oakwell Hall as part of the Woven Festival in June 2025 – a textile project embroidered by participants from 51 countries.  Captivated by the stories, skill and artistry of the different pieces on the dress, the group worked with hoot visual artist, Sally Barker to make The Big Blue Denim Jacket in response.

“Denim jackets are timeless, appeal to people from all cultures, and to both men and women. Our theme was celebrating peace, community and coming together. Each participant chose words and symbols to represent the things they love such as home, food, pets, clothing, landscape. We used sewing, drawing using fabric markers, bead work, sequins, ribbons and fabric that people have brought in from home, which has a personal meaning. Everybody's work is unique and beautiful.” - Sally, hoot visual artist 

Alongside hoot musician Rob Crisp, hoot’s Dewsbury music group wrote, performed and recorded two songs inspired by the Denim Jacket and the Red Dress.

Programming Manager for the project, Kath joined the group during their creation of the jacket.

“I have recently started working with hoot as a project manager, but I helped out with the group last term as a creative support worker. It’s been lovely getting to know the group and seeing how they have all progressed and developed their ideas. I started sewing my patches just to join in a little, but I so enjoyed myself – I may have got a little carried away! I made a happy bee to represent generosity, kindness and good energy and quite a few love hearts and a furry star.

I’ve loved experiencing for myself how being creative really does make you feel good. I look at what I’ve made and what the rest of the group have achieved and I feel ever so proud!” 

A tribute to a friend

Sadly, during the project a group member passed away before the jacket was completed. In tribute the group decided to create a patch dedicated to them and affixed it to the inside of the jacket.

Tilly said: "On the inside of the jacket, a couple of us made something to remember a lovely friend, a member of the group who recently passed away. We miss her very much."

See the jacket at the Shared Threads exhibition

Visit The Big Blue Denim Jacket and other embroidered textile works inspired by The Red Dress at Oakwell Hall's Shared Threas exhibition this winter. The free exhibition is open weekends 12 noon to 4:00pm from Saturday 22nd November 2025 - Sunday 4th January 2026.

Oakwell Hall, Nutter Lane, Birstall, West Yorkshire, WF17 9LG

Visit Oakwell Hall's website for more information

Take a closer look at the patches below

Linda T

“Looking after nature is really important to me, so I embroidered a message on one of my patches “nature is in crisis and together we can save it.” and I also made a Yorkshire Rose. At one time I couldn’t speak in a room with more than one person. My confidence has really grown coming to hoot. I get motivated to try different things and I’ve really developed my skills as an artist.” 

Anonymous Participant

“I sewed a Vulcan bomber based on my interest in classic military aircraft. I've made little cats on parachutes coming out instead of bombs, on the theme of peace (I thought it would be nicer to have cats falling on you than bombs!) I also made a colourful green VW beetle with peace symbols. Coming to hoot on a Tuesday is probably one of the best things in my week, I really enjoy coming.” 

Boo

“I like coming to hoot, it gives me a space to de-stress and look after myself. On my piece I show some of the ways that I look after my mental health. I made a raindrop shaped piece, to represent how water and wild swimming help me. There’s also a waterlily and 2 snowdrops, symbolising mine and my two brothers’ birth month flowers. I also made a lily with the names of my dogs on each petal. I also made a rainbow on the top and embroidered the Arabic word ‘Salaam’ سَلَام which means peace.” 

Storm

“I love coming to hoot, it gives me a break from my home life. We're all like a family here and what we say in the group stays in the group. For the jacket, I love how everyone in the group has put their heart and soul into everything they have made. I’ve made love hearts on beads, a pattern with beads on felt, a necklace with beads around it and a little love heart and I’ve sewed it onto the pocket. I’ve also made a purse that folds over. Thankyou to Sally at hoot for inspiring us. We are all so proud of what we have made.” 

Tilly

“I made a cat on a piece of material and a big heart. I made one to remember my much loved cat that passed away. I drew my cat on fabric, cut it out, coloured it and put beads and ribbons on it. I’ve been coming to hoot for about 5 years. I love meeting nice people, all the creative ideas from Sally and all of the different ways of making and doing things.” 

Anonymous Participant

“I've recycled embroidery from my Mum’s old dress. I made a circular piece with a positive message “Kindness to Others” and edged it with pearls for contrast. I like coming to hoot because it makes me feel calm and gives me focus. For the whole week I'll be thinking, “how shall I improve my project?” and I think up new ideas. When you start doing something creative you never know exactly how it’s going to turn out, but I love how the denim jacket has all come together so well.” 

M

“The Red Dress was absolutely stunning. For the denim jacket, I have made three pieces with words on as well as patterns. I got the idea to put “love”, “life”, and “peace” on. I enjoyed sewing all the work on as well, and at one point there were four of us sewing all different pieces of work just like the people did in The Red Dress.” 

Alyas

“I’ve been coming to hoot for a long time. I enjoy how all the projects are very different. I learn a lot each time. For the jacket I made a pirate flag, inspired by a treasure chest. I feel proud when I finish a project.” 

David

“The blue circular pattern is a printout of my drawing, and I transferred it onto fabric using special paint. The buttons symbolise family unity, and the cord is around them is love, which binds humanity into a coherent whole. I like hoot because it gives access to both old friends and new friends yet to be made, and a relaxing experience with nice folks.” 

We had a wonderful trip to Heritage Quay on Wednesday 9th July to see an exhibition of artwork created by hoot participants, accompanied by music inspired by the pieces on display.

The exhibition, influenced by Leonard Baskin’s powerful ink drawings, was a celebration of creativity and expression. We invited participants, along with their family and friends, to come and enjoy the showcase.

It was such a warm and uplifting afternoon, filled with admiration for the incredible artwork from our visual arts groups and the beautiful music composed by our music group.

Thank you to everyone who joined us, to our amazing staff and of course to Heritage Quay: University of Huddersfield Archives for providing the perfect venue for the exhibition.

Take a look at some of the pictures below and hear the music created to accompany the exhibition.

Thursday 12th October at 6pm 
The Lightbox @Barnsley Libraries 

We're thrilled to be running our October Speak Our Music session at the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance’s national conference 

Speak Our Music is a relaxed space to talk about all things music, mental health, and wellbeing. If you’re interested in music and the music industry, you’re welcome to come along.  

Sessions are hosted by an experienced artist who demonstrates their speciality and hosts a discussion about how music impacts our mental health and wellbeing. 

Alongside our artist hosts, some of our regular session attendees will also be on hand to facilitate the event bringing their personal knowledge and experience from previous discussions in the programme.  

The Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance conference is a three-day conference for people who are interested in creativity/ culture, health and wellbeing and working collectively to bring about social change.  

This could include those with lived experience, freelancers, arts, culture and heritage organisations, as well as researchers, health professionals and those from the local authority, voluntary and community sectors. 

If you think you might be interested in attending the conference visit the Eventbrite to read more and book tickets. 

https://www.culturehealthandwellbeing.org.uk/