Arts on Prescription at the Palace
MEL STEEL
Hastings artist Tara Reddy, founder of charity Arts on Prescription and community venture Arts in the Park, has been invited to a select garden party at Buckingham Palace this week in recognition of the charity’s work.
“It’s quite an honour,” says Tara. “We were nominated by the Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex, who has been incredibly supportive of us over the years, and which was surprising enough. Then we heard we’d been selected and received a letter and invitation from the Lord Chamberlain.”
The event takes place at 3pm in the gardens of the Palace on 8 May and Tara has been told that the King is scheduled to make an appearance and do a meet-and-greet at around 4pm. “I’ll probably be in the loo,” she laughs, “or have a cucumber sandwich stuck in my teeth.”
The dress code has proved to be a bit of a challenge. “I’m usually a jeans and jumper girl,” says Tara, “so it’s been a bit tricky trying to find something suitable. I’ve got an old Laura Ashley dress suit with a wild flower print that I wore to my son’s christening, so I’m planning to wear that; and Bevali Francis from Frock Up Friday is rustling up a matching fascinator for me. I’m also taking a really big umbrella in case it rains, because it’s strictly no wellies!”
Arts on Prescription was established in 2019 and is made up of a team of wellbeing practitioners, therapists, artists, makers, creatives, performers and musicians from a diverse range of backgrounds who all believe passionately in the power of the arts to improve health and wellbeing. Their Art in the Park project saw the former bowling green and pavilion in Alexandra Park transformed into a new arts centre offering activities and therapy for people of all ages, and they run a range of workshops for people of all abilities.
Tara says she’s delighted that the charity’s work is being recognised in this way and hopes it will raise their profile, particularly with funders. “It reflects the dedication of the whole team who make things happen in Hastings,” she says, “and it’ll be an amazing opportunity to network and meet people. You’ll find me near the cake stand!”
Find out more at artsonprescription.org/
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It’s rather sad that it’s seen as an honour to go to a meet and greet hosted by the very people that make charitable works necessary. If Tara knew the better knew the history of the machinations of the monarchy against the people and what the Lord-lieutenant, in his role of Custos Rotulorum, is responsible for, like any anyone coming to the knowledge with love in their heart, she’d probably take a very different view.