Students from the University of Northampton have organised an Easter Craft Fair promoting local businesses in aid of raising money to support a local charity which helps people experiencing problems of disadvantage and marginalisation, including homelessness and mental health.
‘Handmade for Hope’ will take place at Rushden Lakes Shopping Centre on Sunday, April 2, from 10am to 5pm. Organisers are hoping to raise a total of £2,000 for the Hope Centre based in Northampton. You can donate via the JustGiving page here.
The student-run event will be the perfect Easter day out for the whole family whilst bringing together the local community and a variety of Northamptonshire businesses. Easter themed activities will also be taking place throughout the day.
Hope Staines, one of the students organising the event, said: “As we approach Easter, what better way to celebrate than by bringing the community together for a good cause?
“We are not only providing a fun and creative experience for families, but our Charity Easter craft fair is also the perfect opportunity to support local businesses whilst raising vital funds for those in need. We are proud to support the Hope Centre and their efforts to provide vital services to the Northampton community.”
The students have received much-appreciated support from the businesses based at Rushden Lakes. The businesses have provided tombola prizes to raise extra funds for the Hope Centre and will be displaying letters in their windows as part of the Easter Word Hunt. The hunt will involve finding seven letters in the shop and restaurant windows which will create a word. If participants guess the correct word, they will be rewarded with an Easter egg.
Handmade craft stalls at the event will be selling goods such as cupcakes, sweets, brownies, soaps, wax melts, honeys and chili jams. Other activities taking place include an egg word hunt, guess the name of the lamb, guess how many mini eggs in the jar and a tombola. The students will also be handing out colouring sheets for a colouring competition alongside an Easter bunny mascot.
Hope added: “We chose Rushden Lakes as it is a very popular venue local to the University and we are also aware of the support it offers to the local community. This will be a fully local event due to the charity, businesses involved and venue all being based in Northamptonshire. It will promote everything that can be found in our local area whilst bringing the community together.”
The Hope Centre helps people in Northamptonshire experiencing the most acute problems of disadvantage and marginalisation, including homelessness, addiction and mental health. As well as giving practical support, they focus on helping people to help themselves, provide support and services that will enable individuals to take back control of their own lives, and campaign with them against the causes of their disadvantage. Find out more about the Hope Centre here: www.northamptonhopecentre.org.uk