AN OSWESTRY charity has been awarded emergency funding by Arts Council England in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The support, which has been funded using Lottery resources, has been secured by Qube, which will now use part of the money to develop and implement a three-month pilot project.

As part of the project, the charity, based in Oswald Road, will work alongside Taking Part and adult day-care services at Shropshire Council.

It will make creativity, arts and well-being activities available to more than 200 vulnerable and isolated people in Shropshire, who before the current crisis would usually go to a community setting for learning, support and companionship.

The project will aim to increase participation by giving the rural community opportunities to be inspired, and express their creativity.

Laurel Roberts, chief officer at Qube, said: “Securing this emergency funding from Arts Council England will have a significant and fundamental impact on the future of Qube Arts.

“The money will be used to develop the relaunch of our arts and creativity workshop programme once it is safe for Qube to reopen.

“It will also help support our arts strategy development and future sustainability of our programme.

“This supports our main arts focus which is to give our rural community the opportunity to be creative and to be inspired by creativity.”