Our final Get Funded for 2023 was a huge success. We had 5 brilliant pitches for the bumper £400 prize.

First up we had Happy Places CIC – a brand new arts organisation who is made up of 4 local artists from Leigh who deliver art sessions for everyone aged 0 – 70!

Then we had poet and writer, Natasha Tingle who pitched for the money to continue the Young Writers Group past March 2024. Natasha is working with Louise Fazackerley and Pete Kennedy to deliver these sessions and has seen young people flourish and growing confidence after taking part in the group.

We also had a great pitch from Claire Rigbye who wants to start up a repair cafe, she’s in really early stages at the moment but it’s a great sustainable idea and we really hope she gets it off the ground soon.

Vicky Tyrrell used her pitch as a practice and to tell everyone about Leigh Carnival – let’s hope this returns in 2024!

The last to pitch, came from community artist, Elizabeth Twigg who has just set up a social enterprise called HF Works on the precinct at Higher Folds to inspire young people and help them with their careers. She plans to open the shop as a community hub and the upstairs flat has been turned in to little rooms for the young people She’s supporting. One of the rooms is already occupied by a young person who has started a career in nails – she was telling us how she learnt how to do nails when she was pregnant and is booked up until Christmas. It’s a really great project and we can’t to see how it develops.

HF Works scooped the prize and the money will be spent on essential start up costs that will help them get through to the next month.

This was the toughest Get Funded we’ve had to date – everyone who pitched was inspirational and working on fantastic arts and community projects. So, we didn’t let them leave empty handed! We offered everyone free use of our community room twice a month for 6 months.

Thank you so much to Liz Douglas for delivering ‘How to perfect your pitch’ and to GMCA, Wigan Council and Arts Council England for supporting this series of events.

The next Get Funded event is on 25th January 2024 with the winning pitch receiving £200 – it could be you!