Keele Pharmacy Students placement

Xenia: Introduction

As part of our Pharmacy degree at Keele University, we were offered an opportunity to volunteer with B.Arts at the annual Etruria Canal Festival. This was a really enjoyable and rewarding experience which allowed us to interact with the local Stoke community and get involved with the many activities that B.Arts coordinated.

Lucy: Information and Owl Trail 

At the information point, we helped to organise the Owl Trail. The owls were hidden all around the festival grounds which in turn encouraged people to see and experience all that the festival had to offer. Everyone who completed the trail received a small handmade owl, made locally by the Nimble Fingers group. It was especially wonderful to meet annual participants and see what the event means to them.

Khadija: Lego Building 

One of the most popular activities was the Lego table. We had a box full of Lego and the children were able to build their own Lego creations. We also ran a Lego competition, where the parents/carers wrote down the names of children and using a random number generator, one of the children were picked at random and notified of winning. The activity was self-directed but it was lovely engaging with the children hearing their stories behind what they have made and seeing the pride they had towards their creations. It was wonderful seeing children of all ages building Lego together and watching their visions come to life. 

Lulia: Pebble painting 

Another popular activity was pebble painting. Children were provided with pebbles and a variety of paints to create their own colourful designs and artwork. The activity encouraged creativity and allowed children to express themselves in a fun and engaging way. We helped to set up the activity, provide materials, and interact with the children as they worked on their creations. It was lovely to see the enthusiasm and imagination that went into each pebble, with every child creating something unique. Although the activity was simple, it was very rewarding to be involved and to engage with members of the local community throughout the day.

Daniah: Badge making

One of the activities at the Climate Café was badge making. A variety of magazines were provided, featuring themes such as animals, space, Barbie, and many others. We helped the children choose a design they liked for their badge. Using a circular template that had been prepared earlier, we traced around the chosen image, cut it out, and placed it into the badge.

The children were particularly excited to use the badge-making machine. Encouraging phrases such as “use your strong muscles!” made the activity even more engaging and helped build their confidence as they pulled down the lever to create their badge. This proved to be one of the most popular stations, as many children enjoyed seeing their favourite characters transformed into badges and often chose to make more than one.

There was also the option to create your own designs using plain paper. It was wonderful to see everyone’s creativity and imagination come to life through the unique badges they produced.

Despite the activity being more popular among younger kids, we also had adults enjoy making badges as well. It was nice to see a variety of people and ages enjoy the activities we had to offer. 

Alaa: Conclusion

Participating in B.Arts at the Etruria Canal Festival was a valuable and enjoyable experience for all of us. Through activities such as lego building, badge making, peddle painting and other creative workshops we were able to engage with kids and members of the local community centre in a way that is both positive and meaningful. The event encouraged teamwork, creativity, and communication whilst allowing us to contribute to a welcoming and inclusive environment. 

As pharmacy students, it presented us with the opportunity to develop crucial interpersonal skills, build confidence when interacting with the public and gain a greater appreciation of community engagement.  

Overall, volunteering with B.arts was a rewarding experience that left us with a positive impact and highlighted the importance of bringing our community together in Stoke- on- Trent together through creative activities. 

Pockets of Paradise

We  volunteered with B Arts as part of our Pharmacy degree at Keele University and during this placement we had an opportunity to help out with the Pockets of Paradise project. 

Some of us got involved with litter picking to help improve local green spaces. The importance of this work was clear, as small actions like litter picking can make a noticeable difference to the environment, local wildlife, and how people experience shared public spaces. It was rewarding to contribute to a project aimed at creating more welcoming and accessible community spaces.

Pockets of Paradise is a unique project which aims to create beautiful spaces, transforming otherwise unused areas. We spent the morning working at the Vale Street garden, clearing the patch of weeds so the space is clean and presentable. The impact that this space will have is inspiring, as it will be a warm welcoming green space for all, so it was a lovely project to be a part of. 

This is a meaningful project because not only does it encourage the participation of volunteers from the local community, it also improves the aesthetics of the local environment. We wouldn’t consider ourselves gardeners at all, but we had a great time getting involved! After a busy semester of studying, this activity was a great way to relax and decompress. This would be a great outlet for others with a demanding personal or work life to unwind. Although it was raining and very mucky, it was satisfying transforming the area. We can’t wait to see what the volunteers will  grow through summer!