A local art festival has raised £7,500 for families affected by domestic in support of the Milton Keynes based charity, MK Act.
The Mentmore Arts Festival took place over the Bank Holiday weekend at the end of May, transforming the village of Mentmore into a vibrant hub of artistic expression. The festival attracted locals from across Buckinghamshire and surrounding areas, showcasing the talents of over 60 artists through various mediums such as print, sculpture, pottery, and jewellery. In addition to the artwork, attendees enjoyed delicious refreshments and participated in a raffle.
MK Act, commissioned by Milton Keynes Council in 2008 and managed by Milton Keynes Women’s Aid, is committed to supporting all individuals affected by domestic abuse in the Milton Keynes area. The organisation supports over 2000 people annually, promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion.
MK Act was one of the charities selected for this year's event. This year's festival, held at the village church, marked the 14th iteration of the Mentmore Arts Festival, which has raised over £130,000 for 25 local charitable organizations since its inception.
Stephanie Johnston, the committee member responsible for charity liaison, explained the selection process, “Each year, the charities supported are chosen by our volunteer committee. This year, we selected MK Act because of their crucial work in supporting those affected by domestic abuse.”
Sue Burke, CEO of MK Act, expressed her gratitude saying, “The event has provided an incredible platform to open up the conversation about domestic abuse and talk about the life-saving work we do locally. Thank you so much to everyone involved in the Mentmore Arts Festival; it is an unbelievable amount of money for us and will have such a big impact on those we support. It was an absolute pleasure for the MK Act team to be part of the event.”
A few of the services provided by MK Act include crisis interventions (CIS), giving individuals access to information, advice, support, and emergency refuge. CIS services are available to all genders and relationships, including same-sex relationships and family members. MK Act also provide a children and young people’s service, giving tailored support for residents of the refuge, along with group work, providing programmes like the Freedom Programme, and Ilam-El-Hifzat, designed for women from ethnic minority backgrounds.
For more information, please visit www.mkact.com
