an inclusive, disabled-led Powys art group has been recognised in awards, “championing community and volunteer-led arts activity”.

Celf-Able have been recognised in the 2021 Creative Lives Awards as joint winners of the Creative Lives Peer Award for Excellence.

Shining a light on the importance and resilience of creative work during the pandemic, the 13 winners and runners-up were announced on Tuesday, 1 March, at Coventry Cathedral, as part of the UK City of Culture celebrations.

The winners were selected from a shortlist of 31 inspiring groups, from across UK and Ireland, chosen for helping people through the pressures of lockdown.

Sue Patch, from Celf-Able, said: “We are thrilled and delighted to have received this award.

“We are volunteer-led and member-led, so when Covid-19 happened we all just mucked in and did what we could so that we could carry on getting together to do art, albeit online.

“We were fortunate to get enough funding to allow us to send out art packages to our members and a Zoom subscription so we could all meet up virtually.

“We struggled with the technology at first but got the hang of it eventually. We are now meeting face-to-face again but have ‘Zoom in the room’.

“It means an awful lot to us to have won the Award and to have been recognised by our peers, and encourages us as Celf-Able continues and grows.

“We know from our members how much they appreciate our service - albeit in a different form - and will continue to keep going in whatever media we can!””