Growing Me – One Year Anniversary

Tell us about your business and what you do!

Growing Me creates multi-sensory toolkits for children who have had difficult life stories thrive. We do our best to maximise social value – from sourcing sustainable materials, involving the wider community in the production, to making sure our toolkits are therapeutically tight, and making a positive difference to families.  

 

 

How have you developed over the last 12 months since moving into Banks Mill?  

It’s been an incredible first year at Banks Mill.  Having a space of our own, has allowed us to expand our volunteer making days, and we now have a lovely regular group of makers who help with folding and wrapping, and even sewing (do get in touch if you want to get involved – nicky@growingme.co.uk). The Derby community has been incredibly supportive – from collaborations with my neighbours at Banks Mill to introductions to others working in the field.   

We’ve met so many wonderful people over the last year – we’re building some really exciting relationships with professionals working in the field, and setting up some exciting collaborations. 

 

Have you expanded the business or your services over the last 12 months?  

We’re selling more toolkits, setting up pilots, and getting more people involved in making.  We’ve presented to children’s homes companies, fostering and adoption teams, local authorities, schools and charities – and just recently we held an event (which sold out!!) at Derby Museum of Making to bring together all those working to help children with difficult life stories thrive.  The event was a high point of the year for us – a showcase of all the wonderful and diverse projects and people in Derbyshire and beyond who are making a difference. 

We’re building great links with the university Creative Health and Wellbeing course, and have supported their students with placement opportunities and workshops.  

We’ve recently partnered with Transition2: they provide supported internships for young people aged 18-25 with additional needs.  Our first student has started 2hrs/week with us, and we are loving having them and their support worker around! 

 

Have you engaged in any support/groups or networking in the last 12 months?  

 I was accepted on to both the Create Growth, and the Made In Derby Programme, which have both been wonderful cohorts of creative and supportive people, and incredible in terms of networking! Thanks to NLCF funding, we’ve been able to have stands at a couple of conferences in Birmingham – The Children’s Commissioners Conference and The National Association of Virtual School Heads Conference.  Both were packed with lots of people working really hard to make outcomes better for care-experienced children – and we had a lot of great conversations about potential collaborations and contracts… watch this space!   

In addition, some of the local events, particularly Banks Mill Open Studios have been incredibly important for building relationships with professionals in health, social care and education – we were blown away with how many people have links in one way or another to care-experienced families.    

 

 

Have you received any funding/grants/awards in the last 12 months?  

Yes, I was a finalist in the NatWest100 Social Enterprise Awards: Pioneer of the Future category.  The awards ceremony was in Manchester a few weeks ago, and was full of incredible organisations doing amazing work: we were so chuffed to be recognised amongst such an awesome cohort! Growing Me was listed as ‘One to Watch’ too! 

National Lottery Funding is helping us with marketing, production and research costs.  

After our outline NIHR bid was successful, we were invited to submit a full application.  It’s a partnership with 4 Virtual Schools across the country and University of Salford. Currently we’re waiting to hear back – so keeping everything crossed! 

Growing Me is part of the @cooplocal Local Community Fund. Please do support us here. 

 

How do you think your practice has changed since being at Banks Mill?  

Having a space in the centre of town makes it so much easier to meet people – being on a bus route is really helpful for our volunteers. Before Banks Mill, Growing Me had taken over the downstairs of our house and so I particularly appreciate having a functional living space, with work being separate – just means everything is calmer and easier both at work and home!   

As mentioned previously, Banks Mill has bought us so much closer to the Derby community, which has been wonderful – we’re so much more connected than we were previously! 

  

What have you been working on recently?  

We’ve just started a pilot within the NHS, to see where Growing Me would fit best within health services.  We’ve got lots of other relationships building with councils, school trusts, charities and social work teams – it’s a really exciting time! As sales start to increase, so has making!  If anyone reading is interested in volunteering, we’d be interested in hearing from them.  We’re speaking at the next Volunteer Action Derby event on the 1st July – it’s free and you can book on here if you’re interested in finding out more. 

 

 

How has being based at Banks Mill helped your business?  

Being part of the Banks Mill community has been incredible for Growing Me.  Just being surrounded by lovely art, kind and supportive people has helped me develop Growing Me in a way that I’m super proud of.  Mentorship with Filomena has increased my confidence, and the Made In Derby Programme really helped us become more connected to the people we need to know to help us grow. 

I really love Abbie’s weekly emails with all the opportunities – that’s where we found out about Create Growth, Made in Derby and the Digital Design Hub (where we got to try out the fancy printers and got a pack of banners to take to conferences printed for free!) 

 

What are your plans for your business for the next 12 months?  

 Hopefully, we’ll have lots of toolkits to make! We’re hoping to take on a part time volunteer co-ordinator soon, too. Developing smaller therapeutic packages is on our radar too:  it’s something people have asked for, and I’ve had a few ideas, so we’d like to put some time aside to do this! First, the website needs an update though, with all the different things we now do…   

 

What would you say to anyone who is thinking of starting their own creative business?  

The Creative Network events in Derby are great for meeting different creatives at different stages of business.  They’re free, and keep you up to date with what’s going on.  In my experience, everything takes longer than you expect it to, but when you can see that your work has made a difference, it’s absolutely worth all the time and effort!