End of Project Report

Rock Painting Craft Packs 

May - June 2020

Hi 

 

In this special bulletin, we bring you the results of the Aberfan and Merthyr Vale craft pack project.

We will be bringing together the beneficiaries answers, suggestions and some figures from the monitoring forms. 

We will endeavor to make this end of project report as interesting as a report could be.

Each heading will reflect the questions asked.

A total of 120 units were created, this included individual packs and family packs for up to three members. Many beneficiaries were children, so parents completed the feedback / monitoring form based on the family's experience.

 

Where there were duplicate responses / responses that say the 'same thing in a different way', only one of the responses has been included.

Each pack contained the following:

  • The bag, to keep it all in
  • Three rocks per person
  • Six different colour paints per person
    • The three primary colours (red, yellow and blue)
    • Plus black, white and green
  • To accompany the paints, the pack contained a colour mixing chart to enable the beneficiaries to mix and create any colours imaginable from those base colours, plus varying shades using the black and white
  • One broad tipped paint brush per person
  • One pointed, thinner brush per person
  • Plus a little pot for water to clean their brushes
  • A simple guide on how to paint a rock
  • A leaflet with some suggestions to create
  • Details of the funders leaflet
  • Plus a monitoring form, with access to the same form online

How did the beneficiaries rate the pack?

The beneficiaries were asked to rate the pack as a whole with 1 being 'Poor' and 3 being 'Good'.

As the chart from the monitoring forms show, 100% of those that responded thought the pack was 'Good'.

In the following section of the report, we will endeavor to respond to the suggestions / statements made. Taff Rocks responses are in italics:

Suggestions for any improvements Taff Rocks could make?

  1. Honestly I was blown away, I wasn't expecting so much to be included in the pack! Perhaps a map of the local area can be included showing great potential hiding spots as Im still relatively new to the area so would be good to know where's best to hide the rocks
  2. Don't think you can
  3. Unsure, think they great
  4. No improvements, just hope the funding continues so the fun can
  5. More rocks and paint so I can do more
  6. More painting ideas
  7. Other than we could have had more rocks to paint. The packs where ideal as they were 
  8. Possibly more colours 
  9. I thought it was fab. Everything you needed to get painting. 
  10. Nothing, came with everything you needed and a lovely bag 
  11. Don't think it needs improving
  12. Perfect pack 
  13. Perhaps some pens but I understand funds are tight 
  14. Maybe some stencils for children to draw around? 
  15. Don’t think to you can
  16. It was perfect
  17. Maybe a little more paint
  18. Maybe having a stencil for little ones 
  19. It was brilliant and we had loads of fun

Taff Rocks responses to suggestions:

  1. An increase in the quantity of rocks is worthy of consideration. However, to meet the costs of providing additional rocks to the three previously provided, this would mean an increase in any funding application. It's good to see that beneficiaries enjoyed the activity so much that they wanted more!
  2. Increasing the number of suggested ideas that we supplied would be possible. If further packs are created, it would be worth considering a brand new set of suggestions, along with some online resources, and making an effort to ensure that those who apply for an additional pack do not receive the same one as before.
  3. Providing more paint was something we had considered. Based on our workshop experiences, the paint to rock ratio proved more than sufficient. However, in any future packs, we will give serious consideration to providing an increased quantity of paint per colour. Also, if additional rocks were to be provided, the paints would need to be increased to be sufficient.
  4. Providing more colours was a response we did not anticipate. In the packs, we provided a colour mixing chart to enable beneficiaries to mix the paints to gain additional colours than the pack supplied.
  5. The provision of stencils would not be something we'd consider for every pack. We could look into these, but experience has shown that stencils for rock painting can be expensive and, because they are not very flexible, do not work well unless on a rock / surface that is 100% flat. Having said that, the option of a tutorial on how to create stencils of your own choice / topic and size, from paper, could be a title for a YouTube video tutorial.

What would the beneficiaries had done differently?

The biggest response we had was 'Nothing'

  • Not a thing. Rocks have turned out amazing
  • Nothing. I thought it was professionally presented in the bag with a great logo on the front. Thank you very much
  • Nothing. I think it was all executed from start to finish
  • Sketched in pencil first
  • Drawn on it first 

 

What would Taff Rocks had done differently?

  • Consider amending the 'How To Paint Rocks' leaflet to include a suggestion for drawing / sketching a design prior to painting
  • Created an online map of hiding places and listed the locations of our Trading Posts - We have started work on this already.
  • The YouTube Channel we have created supported the Craft Pack project with tutorials from the basics of starting to progression. We should have thought of this before all the literature went to print and added a link to the channel there.

Take a look at what we've done so far

Click the map pin to take a look at the map we have created so far

On the question regarding images.

Those that have images have been sharing them, and it's quite a number, on our Facebook Group. Also, with permission granted, some are being shared in our monthly newsletter.

Subscribe for the free newsletter using the button below.

Beneficiary stories?

Below is a snap-shot of stories from the monitoring forms.

  1. This has been a great opportunity during lockdown to get creative, to give something back to the community, to make our exercise a bit more engaging and above all it has helped my mental health- Thank You Taff Rocks x
  2. Really loved painting these rocks. During this very stressful and worrying time,  it was really lovely to just shut off from everything else and paint some rocks.  Thank you 
  3. My children had fun designing and painting their pebbles. They also enjoyed going for a walk and finding places to hide them
  4. At this unprecedented time it was a excellent way to express thanks to essential works and those who would find comfort in both painting Taff Rocks and finding them within their community.
  5. I usually bring my grandson to the worships you hold during school holidays so I wanted a pack for him and myself to do together once lockdown is over and he can come play at my house again. It is something we are both looking forward to doing 
  6. My daughter's already asking for her next

In conclusion

  • We think you'd agree that this specific trial project, just based on the speed at which the packs were 'snapped up', made it a success and showed just how much they were needed.
  • The stories, photos and comments we received were all positive and shows that we achieved our aim of helping families with a little artistic distraction and help with mental wellness, even if just for that moment.
  • Minor issues such as 'more rocks' or 'more paints' we based on personal experiences and wishes, on the whole, we think we provided enough for each pack in this trial.
  • Returning monitoring / feedback forms in any project has always been 'slow'. However, we should not look on this as a negative issue. 
  • Running the trial project using social media and via email has proved successful as not all the beneficiaries use social media, but all use email.

    In addition:

    • Take-up or registrations of interest outside of the Aberfan and Merthyr Vale areas, although not part of this specific project, has not been as enthusiastic. This could be for a number of reasons including:
      • Taff Rocks not being so well known outside of our immediate 'home' area
      • Advertising was not something Taff Rocks had considered as this was a trial for members only
      • Taff Rocks, for Public Liability Insurance reasons, cannot not supply packs to non-members

    Where next?

    • The Taff Rocks committee members, who oversee the running of the organisation, will be discussing where we go next with this.
    • We will look at any possibilities of further funding for our 'home' area as well as considering the possibility of diverting funding destined for workshops further afield in the County Borough of Merthyr Tydfil and not just Aberfan and Merthyr Vale. 
    • A wider project area will require more funding than we originally required because we would need to purchase additional rocks. The rocks we had used for the Aberfan and Merthyr Vale area were ones standing unused that were destined for the workshops in Aberfan and Merthyr Vale.
    • Taff Rocks would also need to consider volunteers to help with 
      • Delivery
      • Assembly of packs
      • Preparing rocks (sharing statement on reverse was hand written on many of the rocks)
      • Volunteers and their co-ordination

    The end of grant financial report was submitted to the funders earlier this month.

    Register an interest in a future project here

    Future projects will be announced in the monthly newsletter / Facebook Group.

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    If you're interested in what you can do to personalise your craft pack bag, check out the YouTube video, click button

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