Creche ReDesign Project
A month-long project to restore and redesign Dundee International Women's Centre's outdoor creche area. Involving creative workshops, planning sessions, and hands-on DIY and gardening work.
Project Overview
The Dundee International Women's Centre Creche Redesign project was a month-long initiative that transformed DIWC's neglected outdoor play area into a welcoming, thriving outdoor space for kids that use the centre's creche service.
Facilitated and led by How It Felt, with support from Guest Facilitators Karoline Hardt, Lauren Herd and Mark McGreehin.
Working with the weekly Art Group at DIWC, and staff member Ele Roscoe, we held a series of workshops, including demonstrations of hands-on DIY tasks, including the use of power tools, under the guidance and expertise of Lauren Herd.
The participants worked together across a number of sessions to bring this creche redesign to life. They learnt how to fix plant holders, old benches and fences to become safe and practical again, as well as using up-cycled materials to create sensory toys and play equipment.
Community Impact
This project had a lasting impact:
- Empowered community members to learn new skills, share existing skills and collaborate on a project that directly benefits their local community
- Created a regular gathering space for staff and members to connect and relax
- Educational opportunities for children to learn about gardening, wildlife and sensory play in a safe and enriching environment
- Provided areas for small plants to be grown, encouraging conversation about sustainable food production
- Environmental benefits through maintaining urban spaces to encourage biodiversity
With Thanks To...
Dundee Volunteer and Voluntary Action's Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund 2024
Lauren Herd and Karoline Hardt
Hope Busak from RSPB Scotland
ScrapAntics and the ScrapStore
All the staff at Dundee International Women's Centre
The Dundee Ducks
Community Toolbox Dundee
Project Gallery
What Participants Say
This is exactly what the Care Inspectorate has been asking us for but we’ve never had the budget or the funding or the creative vision for it. Until you guys came along. Thank you so much, you don’t know how much it means.
— DIWC Creche Manager
The way you have incorporated nature and the sensory play for the children is spot on.
— Creche Staff
You’ve given us a real gift with this - we never would have thought to do all of this ourselves and now we have so much space to work with and decorate.
— Ele Roscoe
Art Tutor at DIWC
I learned loads of new things today. This will really help me know how to fix things and decorate my home.
— Participant
This is going to help us so much, it will help Flourish and the creche keep going in future because now we can proudly show this space to others.
— Creche Manager
These are really useful skills for life, they can save you so much money when you know how to do it yourself.
— Participant