Over the past few months, Goldfinch has been delighted to work with Project MAMA, a Bristol-based charity supporting women who are asylum seekers, refugees, or have experienced displacement. Project MAMA provides trauma-informed antenatal, birth and postnatal support, alongside Play & Grow, a weekly female-only drop-in group for migrant mothers and their children aged 0–5. It offers a warm, informal space for families to connect, play and spend time together. Our workshops have been designed to sit naturally within that setting: relaxed, inclusive and hands-on, with activities that can be enjoyed across languages and cultures. Each session has focused on creativity, connection and the simple pleasure of making something together.
June: Caterpillars, Lavender and Summer Flowers
Our first workshop took inspiration from late spring and early summer, exploring colour, texture and nature through a series of playful activities for mums and young children.
Families created lavender-inspired collages using shades of purple, leaves and natural materials, alongside bright caterpillar and leaf crafts. The activities offered a gentle introduction to the changing season, with opportunities to talk about caterpillars, butterflies and the important role flowering plants such as lavender play in supporting insects through the summer. The session was designed to be open-ended and child-led, giving little ones the freedom to explore materials while creating alongside their mums.
July: Wildflower Paper Wreaths
In July, the focus moved to wildflowers and paper craft. Participants created colourful tissue-paper wreaths inspired by familiar native flowers such as Oxeye Daisy, Field Poppy, Cow Parsley and Red Campion. Using simple folding and layering techniques, the group built up textured flowers and arranged them onto card wreaths to create individual pieces to take home.
Alongside the wreath-making, there was also time for a more mindful collage activity, allowing everyone to experiment with colour, pattern and composition at their own pace. The finished wreaths were wonderfully varied, with each participant interpreting the activity in their own way.
September: Autumn Equinox
For our September workshop, we took inspiration from the autumn equinox, the moment when day and night are almost equal and the season begins to shift towards autumn. This session was designed especially for the mamas and offered a little space to slow down, focus on making, and enjoy some restorative creative time together.
Using paper, metallic materials, patterned collage and hanging elements, participants created sun-and-moon mobiles inspired by balance, light and dark. The activity encouraged experimentation with texture, shape and layering, resulting in a beautiful collection of individual hanging pieces.
As with all of our Project MAMA workshops, there was no pressure to create something in a particular way. The emphasis was on enjoying the process, spending time together and creating in a friendly, supportive environment.
Creativity, Connection and Community
Working with Project MAMA has been a lovely opportunity for Goldfinch to take our creative workshops beyond the studio and into a community setting. What we value most about these sessions is that the making becomes a starting point for something wider: conversation, shared experiences, confidence, curiosity and connection.
From caterpillars and lavender to wildflower wreaths and autumn mobiles, each workshop has offered a different seasonal theme, but the approach has remained the same, accessible, playful creativity with space for everyone to make in their own way.
We’re very grateful to Project MAMA and all of the mamas and children who have joined us so far.
