A Whole Year of Squiggle Squad...

And what a year it has been!

Now that Squiggle Squad has paused for the summer holidays, I've found myself looking back at where it all started and feeling incredibly grateful for everything that has happened since I took the leap last year.

First and foremost, I want to say a huge thank you to all the grown-ups who have trusted me with their children each week. I know that after-school clubs are more than just filling an hour before home time. You're placing your trust in someone else to encourage, inspire and care for your child, and I never take that responsibility lightly.

My goal has always been to create a space where children can experiment, ask questions, make mistakes and discover just how creative they really are. Seeing that confidence grow week by week has been one of the greatest privileges of starting Squiggle Squad.

And then there are the Squigglers themselves.

Every Friday they arrived full of chatter about whatever the week had thrown at them. Yet somehow, once the aprons went on and the art materials came out, something shifted.

There were curious questions.

There were bold ideas.

There was laughter.

Each week they embraced a new challenge; sometimes we painted, sometimes we used pencils, sometimes we experimented with unfamiliar materials or techniques. Occasionally things went exactly as planned... and occasionally they really didn't! But that's one of the things I love most about making art. Some of my own ideas evolved halfway through a session, and some projects took completely unexpected turns because a child had an idea that was far better than mine. Those are often my favourite moments. They remind me that creativity isn't about following instructions perfectly. It's about exploring, adapting and discovering something you didn't expect.

I've watched children who were initially hesitant become more willing to have a go. I've seen others confidently take a simple prompt and transform it into something entirely their own. I've watched friendships grow over shared pots of paint and conversations about dragons, cats, Minecraft and everything in between.

More than anything, I've been continually impressed by their inventiveness and resilience. When something didn't work the first time, they tried again. When paint smudged or paper tore, they found another way. When faced with a blank page, they gradually learned that there isn't always one "right" answer. Those are skills that stretch far beyond the art table.

Whether your child is moving on to high school in September or returning to Durrington Infant & Junior School, I genuinely hope they leave Squiggle Squad with more than a stack of

artwork. I hope they leave knowing that their ideas matter. That creativity isn't about being "good at art". That trying something new is worth it, even if it doesn't turn out exactly as expected.

I hope they remember the joy of making something simply because they wanted to.

Starting Squiggle Squad has been a leap of faith for me too. There have been moments of doubt, lots of learning, and plenty of paint-covered lesson plans! But every single Friday has reminded me why I took that leap in the first place.

So thank you.

Thank you for your encouragement, your kind words, your support and for allowing me to share in your children's creative journeys.

I already have a notebook full of ideas bubbling away for next year, and I can't wait to welcome both familiar faces and new Squigglers for another year of exploring, experimenting and embracing the wonderfully messy world of art.

Have a fantastic summer, keep creating, and I'll see you all again very soon.