Publication Date: 06-06-2025 09:00
Artists with learning disabilities find inspiration on visit to Springstead Village development in Cambridge
Students from the Rowan arts centre for adults with learning disabilities visited a new housing development in Cherry Hinton to gain inspiration for their latest creative work.
Bellway Latimer invited the Cambridge-based charity down to its Springstead Village site, where it is building 1,200 new homes on land previously part of Cambridge Airport.
The six students took photographs and completed sketches of the houses, sales office and green open spaces in preparation for the artwork they will be creating in the coming weeks.
Some of their completed drawings and paintings will be put on display inside the sales office and apartment building at the development.
Rowan is an independent charity which provides creative workshops for more than 95 adults with learning disabilities, covering everything from woodwork, ceramics and textiles to print, mixed media, drama and music. It also has a forest school which gives students a chance to connect with nature and be creative in the outdoors.
The six students were accompanied on their visit to Springstead Village by Rowan staff Anna Kendrew and Lima Rose, and volunteer Mark Van Heygen. The group were given a tour of the development by sales advisor Marley Edwards who showed them the sales office, showhomes, play park, and a ‘house to home’ plot which displays the different stages of the construction process.
Rose Bloomfield, Fundraising and Events Manager at Rowan, said: “We were delighted to be invited to Springstead Village by Bellway Latimer to take a look around the houses and gain inspiration for some new artwork.
“As a small charity in Cambridge, we rely on the support of local companies to help us offer new opportunities and projects to our student artists. We are looking forward to creating some exciting drawings and prints and sharing them with Bellway Latimer.
“Our students enjoyed looking around the new houses, noticing the different shapes and structures. They always enjoy the opportunity to visit new places around Cambridge to get inspiration for their artwork and feel a part of their local community.”
Springstead Village is a joint venture between housebuilder Bellway and Latimer, the development arm of Clarion Housing Group.
Ulrich van Eck, Project Director for Bellway Latimer, said: “We approached Rowan and invited the charity to bring some of its students to see Springstead Village because we want them to feel part of the new community that is being created here.
“Making connections with local groups and showing them what we are building is an important part of the growth of Springstead Village.
“We hope the students found the visit helpful and enjoyable and we look forward to seeing their completed artwork.”
To find out more about Rowan, visit https://www.rowanhumberstone.org.uk.
For more information about the homes at Springstead Village, call the sales team on 01223 081346 or visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/essex/springstead-village.
