An arts charity in Newhaven which provides free drama workshops for children and young people has received nearly £5,000 from Newhaven Enterprise Zone’s Community Fund to employ an early years artist.
Haven Young Creatives will use the funding to provide extra support to children with additional needs during its weekly term time drama classes which take place in The Hillcrest Centre.
Newhaven community groups are urged to apply for support from the Community Fund by Friday 9 May 2025 as a total of £26,000 is still available.
Corinne Day, programme director at Newhaven Enterprise Zone said: “We are so pleased to be able to help Haven Young Creatives enhance their drama classes which enrich the lives of children and young people in the town.
“We’re also asking community groups to apply for support from the Community Fund next year. Newhaven has so many groups which work tirelessly to make the town a better place to live, and we’re looking forward to lending a helping hand in 2025.”
Haven Young Creatives is a charity which works with children, young people and adults, running regular drama sessions, designing work experience programmes and producing community outdoor arts events such as Harbour Lights.
Run by Siou Hannam and Bex Milner, who have a wealth of experience in participatory arts, the group was set up to give Newhaven free access to high-quality arts.
Haven Young Creatives co-artistic director Bex said: “The money from Newhaven Enterprise Zone will enable us to employ an early years artist to be an assistant facilitator for our weekly drama groups.
“They will play a vital role in supporting children and young people with additional needs and will be trained to use our methodology.
“This money will be vital to the growth of our organisation and how we work with children and young people with additional needs.”
The group runs weekly drama sessions every Tuesday during term time at The Hillcrest Centre in Newhaven from 4pm – 5.30pm for children aged 8-12 and from 5.45pm – 7.45pm for young people aged 13-19.
Haven Young Creatives relies exclusively on funding which comes from sources such as Lottery Award for All, BN9, the Arts Council, Chalk Cliff Trust and Newhaven Town Council.
The drama classes help children and young people build confidence, self-esteem and resilience, giving them a space away from the pressures of school and the outside world.
Groups in Newhaven invited to apply to the Community Fund include those which create opportunities for training, education, employment and enterprise; improve life skills, employability and develop aspirations; improve the quality of the local environment and shared public space; enhance shared community assets and resources; encourage the use of sustainable transport; and promote and deliver initiatives for improved quality of life, including health and wellbeing.
They should apply via the Sussex Community Foundation, which manages the fund on behalf of the Enterprise Zone.
