After a decade 'in the brew' - Esteemed Creatives C.I.C. was officially brought to life by a group of dedicated people in March 2023. We are all about EMPOWERMENT and ADVOCACY. We create spaces for people between 11-16 years old in Todmorden, with adults that really see and believe in them.
We exist because we need to. In the past decade, government funding for youth services has dried up, meaning it's in the hands of the third sector & the local community to support the youngest members of our society to thrive.
Many of the young folks we work with are out of school or at risk of exclusion as they aren't the kind that like to sit still. Some might call them a rowdy bunch we however see them as colourful, free spirited and bouncy - energy the world needs more of! Subsequently, many fear the young folk we work with. If they're on the street, where they spend most of their time due to not having anywhere else to go, they are seen at best as a nuisance, and at worst as criminals (we personally feel much more unsafe at pub kicking out time in a city centre but that's a conversation for another time...)
Since we began just 2 years ago, we've run an alternative to school provision, delivered 2 years of HAF Healthy Holidays in partnership with Calderdale Council - providing awesome experiences and free meals to kids in over 100 families in Todmorden, and, ran the only free to access youth club in the area, two nights a week with help from our partners at the Big Lottery. In short, we've bossed it and a lot of our work has been done voluntarily. We've developed important relationships with the young people of Tod, they trust us and that's no small feat with young folk like ours.
Right now we are at a crossroads.
The nature of our crew means it's been hard for us to find rented spaces that suit us. We offer floating provision at the moment, our skilled playworkers continue to offer fun activities and safe relationships with the young people of Tod in the places that they hang out, but that isn't enough.
We need our own space. The kids need their own space. Todmorden needs them to have their own space ;)
Together with our young folks and dedicated community members, we are campaigning to create
STOMPING GROUND
Stomping Ground is a place.
Situated on a piece of unused land.
Dedicated to young folks in Tod.
Where the can hang out, and be, and muck about.
With two shipping containers as 'permanent spaces' the rest of the site is created by and for them. Think PALLETS (and more pallents), a zip line, footy pitch, jumping tower, massive swings...
Where they can freely explore and engage in activities like building, destroying and modifying structures, using materials like wood, tools, and scrap materials.
With enough space for all that BIG energy to be encouraged and experienced.
A place they can take ownership of.
That feels like THEIR PLACE in OUR TOWN.
Where them being giddy doesn't get them told off.
Where they can grow together and explore who they are as individuals.
Where they can create, problem solve and meet different kinds of people.
Where they learn about boundaries
Where they can learn to coexist....
All this whilst being supervised by trained playworkers that they trust.
People that genuinely enjoy their company.
People invested in helping them have a life full of opportunities.
People with whom they experience mutual respect.
This isn't a utopian dream. These spaces have been around for a very long time. They are known as 'adventure/junk playgrounds.' We're partnered with one in Bradford called the Big Swing. And we want to bring one to life here in Todmorden.
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Join the Campaign
Pledge to support us on a monthly basis with golden coins! This is arguably the most important factor for us - consistent funding. Even contributing as little as £5 a month will make a massive difference to our work. We are also eager to find corporate sponsorship.
The more community support we gather, the more likely we are to be successful on our mission. Obviously all the young folk are on board, but we need grow ups to use their voices! Sign our petition below:
(if you'd like to send a letter of support to Calderdale council - get in touch for our help with that)
WE NEED YOUR HELP
There are many ways you can help us manifest our vision and maintain our essential work.
Become a Sponsor
Work with Us
It takes a great many people to keep a project like Esteemed running, from admin, to social media, fundraising and campaigning, opportunities for artists and playworkers - if you feel you could bring some magic to Esteemed, drop us a message below!
MEET THE CREW
The Magic Makers
Front of House and Behind the Scenes...
Jyoti Imix
Founder and Director of EC. Playworker, Researcher, Youth Advocate & Artist.
Jyoti nurtured the seeds of Esteemed Creatives for around 10 years, researching alternative models of education and youth work across the world, both within and outside of academia. She found her home within the playwork sector and democratic education and eventually wrote her book What To Do About School. A couple of years later it became clear that Jyoti had created her own map and put the call out to the community to help her make it a reality. At present, alongside holding together the background of EC and steering the ship toward Stomping Ground, she is doing a PhD in Education and Social Justice at Lancaster University.
Benny Goodier
Co-Director & Manager of EC (OG). Playworker, Artist & Community Activist.
Benny is a grassroots activist and community changemaker. When she heard the call for Esteemed Creatives, she moved her life to Todmorden to volunteer her time and energy to begin building the project alongside Jyoti. With a background in mental health support, youth work and community outreach, her biggest passion is creating spaces where young people can feel free, empowered and inspired. Prior to Esteemed, Benny co-founded Skate Camp, a radical free to access skateboarding provision in Moss Side. At present Benny takes the lead managing the delivery of Esteemed Creatives sessions.
Casey
Manager of EC. BA Hons in Theatre and MA in Applied Theatre.
Casey has spent her life working across a wide range of therapeutic creative sectors. Her MA explored the power of theatre to support women in prison and she has worked with young people as a playworker, advocate and facilitator both in community organisations and mainstream/alternative schools. Casey is passionate about play and creating spaces in society for young people to feel supported and welcome. She helps people to find and express their authentic, creative selves so that they can feel empowered and free! Alongside Benny, Casey manages the delivery of Esteemed Creatives sessions.
Martin Craig Austin
Sustainable Builder, Artist, Youth Worker & Advocate. EC Board Member.
Oz (as he is known) is an avid builder and creator, a constant tinkerer of thought and creativity. An advocate for individual expression, he is passionate about spaces for the arts. Oz has worked on a variety of sustainable community building projects across the world, alongside delivering workshops to teens around making commercial products from recycled materials. At present, he is a therapeutic residential support worker for teenagers, a role he is devoted to alongside being a Dad. He has been involved with Esteemed Creatives from the beginning as his son joined the project when he was out of school.
Ellie Shuttleton
BSc Medical Herbalist and MSc Clinical Neurology student. EC Board Member.
Ellie is a qualified medical herbalist who champions health equity and community-led creative projects. With a background in both traditional plant medicine and neuroscience rooted in care, curiosity and connection, she has lived and worked in a variety of Calderdale for 30 years, as well as further afield. Her current practice focuses on community wellbeing—supporting nervous system health, emotional resilience, and connection to nature through accessible plant medicine. Ellie is deeply aligned with the values of Esteemed Creatives around democratic creative arts and holistic wellbeing.
Sean
Playground Designer, Founder of Eightspace. EC Board Member.
Sean is a playground designer, constructing bespoke outdoor play spaces for schools, local authorities, housing schemes and charities. His background is as a mural/street artist and he has built a career around artistic collaboration with young people (and the institutions that surround them). Though he grew up in London, he’s spent the past 30 years in Calderdale which continue to inspire and inform him. Having raised 3 children around the valley, he understands what the need for spaces like Esteemed and wanted to offer his specific (and much needed) expertise to the pot.
John Bouttell
Retired Mediator & Playworker. EC Board Member.
John is a devoted and active member of the Todmorden community. Though he is now retired, he was previously a mediator of neighbour disputes and even worked on two adventure playgrounds in the 70s! John came into contact with Esteemed Creatives through our Intergenerational Day – when we got a group of our ‘rowdy teens’ to meet a group of retired folk from the local community to dispel myths and create new relationships through creative arts. He loved what we were about and decided to jump in and get involved.
Dr Mike Wragg
Senior Lecturer in Playwork, Chair of Play Bradford, Child Friendly Leeds Ambassador & Outdoor Operational Playground Inspector. EC Board Member.
Mike has been involved in the play and playwork sector since the early 2000s when he began his career as a Play Development Officer in Bradford. During this time, he founded the Big Swing Adventure Playground and has been/is; the CEO of The Addy adventure playground in Wakefield; the Head of Play and Youth Services in Stoke-on-Trent; a private Play and Playwork Trainer and Consultant; an International Outdoor Operational Playground Inspector, and since 2008, Senior Lecturer in Playwork at Leeds Beckett University.
WATCH OUR DOCUMENTARY
To understand a little more about our work, here's a documentary we created with our young folk last summer about anti-social behaviour in Todmorden....
CONTACT US
Do you feel like you can help us on our mission somehow? Or maybe you're a young person that wants to jump in with us? Whatever your reasons, feel free to get in touch with us using the form below.
