Meet the Creative Team + The Summer Solstice Zine
In 2020 we put a call out for volunteers to help us with Bloom. We had a wonderful response and people seemed to fit very naturally into groups based on skills and interests. One of the groups that came out of the volunteer call out was the Creative Team. These amazing women meet regularly to work on on things creative. The illustrations that you see on the website, the blog posts and special projects that we cook up together. One of these is the Summer Solstice Zine! As you’ve probably seen, we are doing loads of fun things to celebrate the longest day of the year and we thought something physical to have to remember it would be awesome. The zine is a collaboration of amazing minds and talents. It’s full of interesting things to read, beautiful illustrations, photos and things to try at home. If you would like to buy one and support us at the same time, click the button below! Carry on reading to meet some of the creative team. If you’d like to volunteer with our creative team, feel free to get in touch.
Email kendall@bloomsheffield.com to get a copy!
Liv Rose Whitfield
During the week I work full-time as a company illustrator, and began illustrating as part of the very talented creative team in my free time. This has included designing infographics and illustrations for the upcoming Summer Solstice zine! Being creative has always helped my mental health as I find it very grounding, and I love nothing more than sitting in the garden with a cup of tea, creating illustrations on my iPad. Illustration, for me, has always been a way to say what I struggle to put into words and encourages conversation. I am currently working towards an MA in Art Psychotherapy, hoping to use creativity as a tool to help others, so I have been very fortunate to find Bloom and be a part of the amazing work they do!
Kerry Griffiths
I'm Kerry, and I'm loving being a volunteer copywriter on the Bloom creative team. I have a background in marketing and communications, so it's great to bring my expertise to such a fabulous cause. I currently work for a charity delivering training for professionals to raise awareness of domestic abuse, and I'm also a freelance copywriter for a well-known TV gardener. I've developed a decent knowledge of UK plants and gardens in my time writing about it! I love to garden and grow veg in my sunny Sheffield yard, and I propagate tropical houseplants too - it's so rewarding to see things grow. My next adventure is training as a yoga teacher. Yoga supports my mental and physical health after being injured a few years ago and thinking I'd never downward dog again - so I'm really looking forward to sharing this amazing practice with all kinds of people going forward.
Check out Kerry’s website here!
Olivia Lowden
I oversee and support with various creative projects - from brand strategy and planning to product development and design. We work hard to maintain an open and collaborative working environment where all ideas are welcome and our volunteers can contribute as much as they feel able to. It's a really varied and rewarding initiative to be a part of; between us we have some brilliant minds and skillsets so it's wonderful to be able to harness the energy and expertise within the team, both individually and collectively.
I would say my main creative interest lies in interiors, homes and gardens. I have a background working in creative agencies, predominantly in Marketing and Branding, and now manage the design service at deVOL which is an exciting company to be a part of. My job gives me a fascinating insight and exposure to some of the most wonderful properties and renovation projects all over the world which is a constant source of inspiration for me personally and professionally. I am very much someone who imagines and reimagines spaces - I find it fascinating to see what influences people within their homes and the stories they choose to tell through the items they collect and cherish.
I think having an outlet of any kind is hugely important to maintain good mental health. Exercise and time outdoors has always been imperative for me, and often, I find having a challenging goal to work towards and train for (such as a half marathon), has been brilliant in terms of establishing and maintaining purpose, structure and ambition. There have been chapters in my life where I could not have coped without creative outlets such as writing, playing the piano or simple arts and crafts - I find that having various pockets of interest to dip in and out of when I need to is the best way to reset the balance and focus the mind.
Danielle Battersby
I'm Danielle and by day I work for two independent festival companies as a Sales and Marketing Assistant. The pandemic led to a reduced work load and my co working space closing, meaning I really craved a new project and some socialisation.
My love for gardening blossomed while at uni and in rental houses, where I transformed little terrace gardens into a wildlife hotspot for my housemates and I. It gave us all a space to escape from university, a quiet spot for a beer and a natter - which positively impacted our mental health.
Since then, I've become involved in Bloom's creative team, where myself and the team brainstormed marketing ideas. Meeting new like-minded individuals and bonding through the creative project while supporting Bloom's growth has been really rewarding. It's been a great opportunity for me to develop skills which I have neglected over the years and become more confident with them.
Although my day job requires a lot of writing, exploring Bloom's project for the Summer Solstice has allowed my explore and learn something new, which was been so refreshing. I'm very thankful for my involvement and I'm really looking forward to continuing the journey.