OUR
COMMUNITY
INTEREST
COMPANY
MANIFESTO
CUP is a community interest company limited by guarantee. This means that we have an asset lock and any profits are reinvested into serving the community rather than going to shareholders.
The company has 3 overall aims:
1. People in Herefordshire do not have the access to the expensive equipment, space and training necessary to create ceramics at beginners, intermediate and advanced level, at an affordable price, all in one place. CUP has begun to successfully provide
this.
2. There are very few opportunities for ceramics graduates to develop artistically post
degree due to low incomes and lack of capital and equipment. Therefore productivity and artistic development decimates and sadly, many do not return to the art.
Undergraduates also have limited resources available to them for ceramics at the local art college. By providing time exchange mentoring placements for ceramics graduates/undergraduates, we help to bridge the gap between education and employment.
3. Underserved individuals in the community from low-income/deprived backgrounds, those with mental health barriers to education/life and vulnerable young people and adults do not have the opportunity to benefit from the therapeutic and creative impacts of making ceramics in an inclusive artistic community.
As a social enterprise our profits and grant support is used to benefit the most vulnerable in our community by providing access memberships and contextual group and one to one sessions, giving such people the opportunity to access the creative and therapeutic benefits of working with clay, leading to potential for further training, employment and improved quality of life.
The company runs an open-access community ceramics studio providing access to making for all in Hereford. The studio opened for business on 15th January 2019.
During the financial year 2023-2024, the company’s activities have benefitted the community
in the following ways:
● A STUDIO MEMBERSHIP OF BETWEEN 50 AND 60 LOCAL PEOPLE FROM DIVERSE
BACKGROUNDS
● POTTERY WORKSHOPS HELD FOR OVER 600 PEOPLE
● TIME EXCHANGE PLACEMENTS HELD FOR 8 POTTERS HELPING TO DEVELOP
THEIR PRACTICE
● 3 x WORK EXPERIENCE PLACEMENTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
● A SERIES OF THERAPEUTIC CLAY SESSIONS HELD FOR HEREFORD BLIND
COLLEGE, BROOKFIELD SEMH SCHOOL AND HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL
SUPPORT FOR LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN
● 8 DAY SESSIONS WERE DELIVERED TO 60 DISADVANTAGED YOUNG PEOPLE
THROUGH THE HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES AND FOOD PROGRAM
● 10 WORKSHOPS WERE HELD FOR 127 YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 5-16
● 12 THERAPEUTIC SESSIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS FROM A LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH
REHABILITATION UNIT
● 12 THERAPEUTIC SESSIONS FOR ORCHARD END RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME FOR
DISABLED PEOPLE
● DELIVERY OF A 3 DAY CITY WIDE CERAMICS FESTIVAL ACROSS 5 LOCATIONS
INVOLVING 2500 PARTICIPANTS, 15 ARTISTS AND A MAKERS MARKET
● OVER £2000 RAISED FOR CHARITIES INCLUDING HEREFORD FOOD BANK AND
BRITISH RED CROSS GAZA APPEAL
● DELIVERED 3 POTTERY TEAM BUILDING DAYS FOR LOCAL COMPANIES
ALL WHILE DEMONSTRATING A STRONG SENSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY,
USING RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES, & ECO WASTE MANAGEMENT
The company’s stakeholders are the studio members, course participants, users of the
coffeehouse and gallery, event goers and visiting participants from various partnering
agencies (charities/schools/education).
Members and participants regularly fill out feedback forms and review the service and this
data features on the agenda at directors board meetings. This information is then used to
improve and inform our decision making going forward. The outcomes will also support our
applications for grants and our marketing campaigns.
The company will continue to ensure that stakeholders have significant input into our activities
and that the quantitative and qualitative data collected becomes richer and more complex.
This is demonstrated by our annual community survey, ongoing digital feedback forms on our
website, quarterly board meetings and our annual stakeholder meetings.
The results of our annual survey for 2023/24 shows:
Of a sample size of 52 stakeholders our services achieved a 4.3 / 5 rating.
That we are succeeding in many ways by putting “ people of diverse ages, sexuality,
economic background in contact with each other”, “Providing a turnstile meeting place to
traditional places such as pubs and cafes”. Also feedback says that we are “essential for a
sense of community where the local population lives in isolated areas as well as the city
centre.” And that we “bring together like-minded people of all ages and backgrounds into a
safe space, as well as an opportunity to build skills. “
That we “also also help to build confidence in social interactions whilst learning new skills and
being creative. And finally that we “do excellent outreach work enabling a wide range of
people to engage in ceramics that would not otherwise be possible.”
The company’s target for 2024/25 is to improve our environmental practices and knowledge
and focus on environmental sustainability.
The company will continue to ensure that stakeholders have significant input into our activities and that the quantitative and qualitative data collected becomes richer and more complex.