Recently, Debbie Goldsmith has been leading creative workshops at Goostrey Scout Hut.

In March, she taught local scouts how to screen-print fun designs onto their own T shirts.  In April, just before Easter, the cubs learned about paper engineering and designed their own pop out jack-in-the-boxes.

On Monday 8th May, professional artist Debbie Goldsmith will be marking the Coronation of King Charles III by running a free, hands-on workshop at Goostrey Art Studio.

She’ll be making and decorating clay stepping stones.  Local residents of all ages are welcome to join her any time between 11am and 1pm – there’s no need to book.

You’ll be making tiles and using natural materials and letter shapes to create your own special message to commemorate this historic year.  The Clay Studio in Manchester will finish the pieces in their kilns.

When they’re ready, Friends of Goostrey Station will be helping Debbie to install them in the gardens around Goostrey Station. This will be a permanent display, so you’ll be able to visit your work of art at any time.

No experience is necessary and all materials will be provided. If you have any questions about this project,  please contact Debbie on goostreyartstudio@yahoo.com

This will be part of a national day called The Big Help Out when members of the public are encouraged to try volunteering for themselves. It’s an opportunity to make a difference in our community.  During the workshop, you’ll be able to find out about the work of the award-winning volunteer group, Friends of Goostrey Station.

The children at the Wilmslow Academy have created a recycled underwater aquarium to inhabit the “Art In A Box” exhibition at Handforth train station.

The younger children at the school (all ages up to and including Year 2) made fish out of used plastic bottles, and then wrote their secret promises and their wishes for the planet to put inside them.

The fish and their underwater world can be seen at the station at the top of the steps leading down to the Wilmslow-bound platform.

Although the work is colourful and the upcycled sea creatures have been designed to bring a smile to people’s faces, the display also aims to give a very serious message about the damage that discarded plastics are doing to our oceans. The majority of the plastic littered on land makes its way into the sea. Once there, plastic decomposes very slowly, breaking down in to tiny pieces that can be incredibly damaging to sea life.

Helen Wright, the Art and Design subject leader at the Wilmslow Academy, said, “The children responded very thoughtfully and passionately to creating this artwork, with the theme of taking greater care of our planet.”

Jenny Barnes, the Arts Cordinator for FoHS, said “Handforth Station is well-known for its often-changing art installations. We always invite colourful and entertaining displays for the period of December and January, and we are delighted with the artwork that the youngsters from Wilmslow Academy have produced.”

The Aquarium will be on show at Handforth Station over the festive period, until the end of January 2021.

The Alderley Edge Station Volunteer group has organised the two digitally created art montages installed on the wall of the Manchester bound Station platform ….

Group co-ordinator Kelvin Briggs commented ‘ We want to make the station a more welcoming gateway to the village and this is our first project. Hopefully local residents, visitors and rail passengers will enjoy the images and the future plant displays we have planned .

The montage boards are the work of Stockport based digital artist Eamonn Murphy . They depict landmarks close to each station on the Crewe to Manchester line. Each of the boards features an iconic Alderley Edge building.

Kelvin said  ‘We chose the Queens Court building frontage because it was once the old Queen’s Hotel with a railway heritage going back to 1844 when built by the London and North-Western Railway Company.’

Artist Eamonn Murphy commented ‘Alderley Edge Community Primary School is a splendid building, with some interesting variations in brickwork patterns, lovely tracery, prominent bell tower and delightful ornamentation. It’s a hidden gem!’

The boards have been funded by donations from group members , a contribution from the Waitrose Community Matters green token scheme and support from the Crewe to Manchester Community Rail Partnership.

Northern Trains and the Department for Transport will be helping fund future platform planters and flower displays.

The Station volunteer group are to donate a framed print to the Community Primary school to support their fundraising for improved sports facilities.

The Station group are currently raising funds for future projects including more art works, and new volunteers are very welcome to join in.

Contact Kelvin Briggs for more information kelvinbriggs@btconnect.com