High Sheriff is Impressed by Warm and Purposeful Atmosphere at Artventure Trust

Published on: 29 Nov, 2023
Updated on: 30 Nov, 2023

The High Sheriff of Surrey, Tim Wates, and his daughter Louisa, have visited Artventure Trust in Merrow, where they met staff and volunteers of the charity and spent time with the learning disabled participants.

The High Sheriff of Surrey, Tim Wates, and his daughter Louisa, on their visit to Artventure Trust in Merrow.

The manager of Artventure, Mariann Kehrling, explained how they work with the clients and introduced all the participants and their projects to the High Sheriff.

As Artventure is currently working on a joint project with The Meath in Godalming about the River Wey that connects the two charities, the High Sheriff and his daughter were invited to join in some fun art activities and contribute to the collaborative piece of the River Wey Project.

They both made a lovely dragonfly textile collage that will be added to the collaborative piece.

Mariann Kehrling said: “We started this project together with The Meath in August. Participants were going on excursions together and visited each other in sessions.

“Now all of us are working on the artworks and from January to May 2024, there will be four exhibitions – at the Cranleigh Arts Centre, at The Electric Theatre in Guildford, at the Lightbox in Woking and at Godalming Museum – to show these remarkable pieces to the wider community.”

The High Sheriff also met two of the trustees of Artventure Trust, chairman Robert Muir and Philip Trumble. They discussed the importance of the work Artventure is delivering and the challenges it faces.

Mr Trumble said: “The recognition and attention they received during the High Sheriff’s visit is much appreciated by the participants, volunteers and staff of Artventure. They were proud to find that he appreciated their work and efforts.”

The High Sheriff added: “It was wonderful privilege for Louisa and I to visit Artventure. I was inspired by the warm and purposeful atmosphere and by the brilliant art.

“All of it was vibrant and colourful and some of a quality that would grace the walls of a commercial gallery.

“I very much enjoyed meeting the artists who were so friendly and welcoming – along with the fantastic manager Mariann, the trustees and the dedicated and skilled volunteers.”

Artventure Trust is a registered charity, that offers visual art sessions for adults with learning disabilities, autism and physical impairments in a safe and fun environment and has been receiving participants from all over Surrey since 1984.