About us
A Few Words
About Creative Communities
Creative Communities (South East) C.I.C was born out of a joint love for all things creative and a passion for designing and delivering courses for all adults including those suffering from a range of mental and physical challenges.
Creative Communities was founded by Sarah Hemmings and Tanya Reid, who are both fully qualified teachers and assessors, with an extensive background in managing, devising and delivering courses for adults from a wide range of different backgrounds. They have a special interest in teaching adults with learning difficulties and disabilities, older learners with age related illnesses and adults suffering with mental ill-health. Sarah and Tanya are both degree educated, with Tanya holding a BA in Fine Art and Sarah a BA (Hons) in English Literature. They also both hold a Mental Health First Aid accreditation and many other professional qualifications, including educational management, safeguarding and equality and diversity.
The aim of Creative Communities is to provide structured, learner focussed, creative courses which are delivered in a fun and informal way and accessible for all. Creative Communities was established because it was clear that something was missing in the local community and those who most needed community courses, were not able to access them, either due to location, circumstances or high tuition fees. Our hope is that we can bridge this gap by bringing fully funded, free provision out into the local community for those who need it most. We understand that every learner is different and what works for some, will not necessarily work for another.
We always strive to offer differentiated learning, with the individual at the centre, allowing each and every person the opportunity to succeed and reach their full potential, whilst enjoying every step of their learning journey.
We fully believe that by coming together to learn creatively, participants gain valuable skills, develop passions and interests, and form friendships and support networks along the way.
A course for everyone
We offer a hugely diverse range of programmes and courses, which are ever changing and evolving. We are confident that we have a course for everyone’
Partenered with
Great Staff
Our team of passionate and skilled teachers are committed to nurturing your creativity and guiding you on your personalised learning journey.
Safety
Your wellbeing and safety is our top priority, we follow strict health and safety guidelines in all our courses, ensuring that we provide a safe and welcoming environment for all our learners.
Experience
Our teachers have years of experience in their field, accommodating all abilities, which provide you with the skills and knowledge required to succeed.
Activities
We offer a diverse range of art, design, craft, floristry and dance courses and workshops, along with events such as our annual student exhibition.
Great Staff
Our Teachers
Our teachers love what they do, and that's what makes them so special!
Handpicked for their exceptional artistic skills and genuine passion for teaching, they serve as passionate mentors, encouraging you to explore your artistic potential fearlessly. With individualised attention, a warm and approachable demeanour, and a commitment to continuous growth, our teachers create a supportive and inclusive atmosphere where learning becomes a joyous and fulfilling experience. Their real-world experience and practical insights further enrich your creative journey, empowering you to push boundaries, experiment with new art forms, and achieve personal growth.
Courses
Happy Learners
Years of Teaching
Meet our team!
Sarah Hemmings
Managing Director - Head of Teaching and Learning
Sarah Hemmings has worked in the adult education sector for over 12 years, as a teacher, assessor, and a department head. Sarah holds a BA (Hons) in English Literature as well as teaching, assessing and Safeguarding qualifications. Sarah is a skilled painter and fibre sculptor, specialising in fibre arts, felting and crochet.
She has led on a number of different projects, including helping adults back into work, family learning initiatives and programmes designed to run in residential care homes and day centres for older learners living with Dementia and a range of physical disabilities.
Sarah is particularly passionate about working with adults with learning difficulties and disabilities, adults living with mental health difficulties and those who have experienced domestic violence and difficult home lives. She firmly believes in the value of lifelong learning for everyone and has witnessed first-hand the difference learning can make to people’s lives and how important it is for the mind and body.
Tanya Reid
Managing Director - Head of Creativity and Wellbeing
Tanya Reid is a skilled painter, potter and teacher. Tanya studied Fine Art at university where she learnt a range of subjects including painting, drawing, ceramics, printmaking, textile design, sculpture and Art History. Tanya has been teaching Art and Craft related courses for the past 20 years in schools, art centres and privately from her own studio.
Tanya moved to the area in 2012 and for the past 5 years she has been teaching a range of creative courses to adults at her local college and Arts Centre and in the community for day centres, care homes and supported housing schemes across West Berkshire as well as family learning courses in local primary schools.
Tanya passionately believes that creativity is the key to an optimal life experience and how people living with a range of different issues including mental health, dementia, special educational needs, physical barriers, and socio-economic disadvantages can change their daily lives through some form of creative activity.
Fiona Stevens
Finance Officer
We are delighted to welcome Fiona to our team in the role of Finance Officer. Fiona has worked in Finance in the Education Sector for 22 years and previous to this she worked in a High Street Bank for over 10 years. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience to help Creative Communities continue to grow.
Fiona is organised, efficient and highly skilled, with a truly caring and friendly nature.
Fiona enjoys meeting new people and in her spare time loves spending time with her family, gardening and reading historical fiction.
Fiona is really looking forward to being part of the Creative Communities team and we feel truly fortunate to have her with us.
Katie Lailey
Administrator
Kim Harrison
Tutor - Flower Arranging
Kim joins our Creative Communities team as a talented and experienced flower arranging tutor. She holds a City and Guilds qualification in floristry and runs a successful floristry business, Lavenders, in Newbury, Berkshire, which she opened in 2014 when she moved to the area from the Caribbean.
Kim has been teaching flower arranging workshops since her business began, offering private workshops for leisure, as well as delivering sessions via the West Berkshire Heritage scheme at Shaw House and also through Newbury College. She has also worked closely with the West Berkshire Young Dementia service, offering classes and workshops as well as delivering sessions for local residential care homes.
Kim continues to design flowers for bespoke occasions and has had the honour of creating a bouquet for HRH the Duchess of Gloucester. She has also appeared on BBC Radio Berkshire discussing tips for creating seasonal arrangements.
Kim holds a Level 3 Certificate in Education and Training and regularly attends workshops in floristry to keep up to date with trends and her own professional development.
Beverley Landreth-Smith
Tutor - Sewing
Beverley Landreth-Smith joins our team as an experienced seamstress,
designer, dressmaker and tutor.
Beverley started sewing as a child and has 40 years of experience in many of the stitching disciplines, soft furnishings, designing and making costumes; making, altering, repairing, and fitting.
Beverley leads workshops and courses in sewing, dressmaking, tailoring
and up-cycling.
Mary Cruikshank
Tutor – Ballroom and Latin American Dance
Mary joins our team as a fully qualified and very experienced dance teacher. Mary holds Fellowship qualifications of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and two Canadian Dance organisations, as well as teaching qualifications.
Born in England and raised in Canada, Mary started her dance teaching career in 1971 by teaching and developing Ballroom and Latin American dancing courses for colleges, universities, recreation centres and Education Boards across Ontario, Canada. Mary moved to the UK in the 1990s to teach in the Gwenythe Walsh Dance Studio in London.
Over the past ten years Mary has been teaching in her local community of West Berkshire, offering courses in Ballroom and Latin American Dance, Wedding Dance and Line Dancing, as well as specialist courses for adults with special educational needs and disabilities and Chair Dancing for older adults with dementia.
Helen Mortimer
Tutor - Mixed Art and Craft
We are delighted to welcome her to the Creative Communities team.
Jacky Purtill
Tutor - Mixed Media Art and Craft
Jacky Purtill joins our team as an experienced arts practitioner and teacher, with over 30 years as a practicing freelance artist, craftsperson and educator.
During her career, Jacky has been involved in a number of exhibitions, events, client based briefs, teaching and learning activities. Jacky continues to develop her own artwork and to teach others how to create innovative and engaging artwork through painting and mixed media.
Having originally trained as a jeweller and silversmith in her early career, she progressed into education and worked as full-time lecturer in further and adult education.
Jacky’s passion is now painting and mixed media, she enjoys exploring natural forms, abstraction, surface texture and colour.
Charlotte Adcock
Tutor - Printmaking
Charlotte joins the Creative Communities team as an experienced printmaker, artist and crafter, holding a BA Hons in Fine Art and Art history.
Her specialism is printmaking; including Linoprint, Gelli plate printing, Monoprint and Screenprinting. Charlotte has a real passion for art and loves to share this, teaching workshops to both adults and children across West Berkshire. Charlotte has worked on many exciting creative commissions and collaborative art projects within the community and local schools.
Charlotte enjoys creating and exhibiting her own work, often inspired by the natural work, and is a regular exhibitor in galleries and art spaces across West Berkshire.
Sabrina Talana-Carruth
Tutor - Sustainable and Eco-conscious Art and Craft
We are really excited to welcome Sabrina to the Creative Communities team. The workshops and courses that she runs are designed to spark creativity, re-connect with nature as well as aiming to benefit and improve mental and general wellbeing through the creative process.
Sabrina has worked in education for over 10 years as class assistant for children with special needs, an art technician in both boarding and state schools, as well as an FE College, adult and community lecturer and lately as a freelance tutor for both young people and adults.
Sabrina has a broad educational background that ranges from bio-chemistry and Italian history of art and literature to Interior Design and holds a BA (Hons) in Interior and Architectural Design specialising in eco conscious methods and materials. She has taken part in various community projects linking art, crafts and wellbeing.
Sabrina is very passionate about sustainability and working with natural materials and techniques in ways that are kinder to the Earth.
Sabrina is also the founder of FloriS TinctoRiuM, a creative Studio that explores art, design and artisan making in a sustainable and circular way to create curated artefacts that are aesthetically pleasing as well as purposeful and environmentally conscious.
Sophie Waite
Tutor - Ceramics
Sophie joins our team as an experienced ceramicist and teacher. She graduated with 1st class hons degree in 3D design in 2008.
Her decorative ceramics, often inspired by nature, are sold at the Artisan Handmade shop in Newbury, Berkshire and also directly to clients through commissions. She has exhibited her work for many years for the Berkshire and North Hampshire Open Studios.
Sophie has mostly been recognised as ‘Sophie Waite Ceramics’ however since the pandemic she had also created a home pottery pack with a new name of ‘Muddy Pig Pottery’ which uses air dry clay. Sophie has been hosting clay workshops for adults, children and the elderly for over 10 years. These are run in cafes, preschools, nurseries, and schools, as well as distance learning through her pottery packs.
Sophie believes that working with clay has so many benefits both physically and mentally and is passionate about encouraging others to enjoy the experience.
Janet McGinn
Tutor - Special Educational Needs
Janet joins our Creative Communities team as a specialist SEN teacher and volunteer. She has taught students with and without learning difficulties and disabilities for the last 24 years, including adult learners and younger, full-time students.
Janet has worked as a Job Coach teaching Life and Work Skills to students within the workplace, as well as designing and delivering provision for adults in literacy, numeracy, communication skills, creativity, cookery, ICT and culture and diversity. Janet has also worked on ESOL (English for Speakers of other Languages), Mental Health and Family Learning programmes.
Janet brings a wealth of knowledge and experience of teaching and working with adults with learning difficulties and disabilities and adults suffering with mental ill-health, both on accredited and non-accredited programmes.
Janet is always a firm favourite with learners, due to the passion and enthusiasm she puts in to every lesson.
Jackie Ash
Volunteer
Jackie Ash joins our team as a volunteer, specialising in supporting adults with learning difficulties and disabilities. Jackie started her career as a graduate trainee in retailing, her love was working with people so she diverted into a career in HR, working with Asda.
After taking a career break for her children, Jackie spent 7 years working as a support assistant with teenagers & adults with learning difficulties and disabilities.
Having worked with Janet & Sarah previously, Jackie was keen to join them at Creative Communities as a volunteer. The learners love Jackie’s enthusiasm and warm and positive manner.