Museum of Science and Industry

Women at Nacro’s Longden House worked with local artist Emma Santhouse in 2009 to produce a mixed media piece entitled Spring Gardens.

“We chose to make a garden for a few reasons. Every year we enter a garden at the Royal Horticultural Society Tatton Flower Show, so that inspired us. Gardens also mean new beginnings and Longden House is that for us. The garden is made out of recycled materials, a lot of which we collected ourselves and we made all the things to go in it. 

“This project has been loads of fun to do. A lot of us had never done anything like it before and at the beginning we didn’t know where to start. But we worked as a team and had a laugh; it’s really got us together.”

Longden House is a supported housing project run by Nacro, the crime reduction charity, which provides housing and care to vulnerable women in Manchester. Nacro staff provide 24-hour support to women who have experienced homelessness and drug misuse, or who are at risk of getting involved in crime. As well as providing a safe place to live, Nacro staff work closely with the women to address their individual needs, and use positive group activities, such as the Spring Gardens art project, to improve confidence and self-esteem.