Art group connects young women in rural areas

4 hours ago

Holly Nicholsin Ampthill

News image — Poppy Barrett and Hannah Broughton attended their first Girls who Create session at The Hide in Ampthill

Holly Nichols/BBC Poppy Barrett (left) and Hannah Broughton (right) are sitting on a brown leather sofa, each holding up small pieces of colourful artwork. The pieces include abstract purple waves, bright green leaves with a pink flower, a red pomegranate, and several circular fruit designs, possibly tomatoes of different colours. Behind them is a dark green wall with framed art. — Poppy Barrett and Hannah Broughton attended their first Girls who Create session at The Hide in Ampthill

An art group for women from rural areas that aims to "get people off their phones and to connect in the real world" has moved to a second location.

Girls who Create has run fortnightly sessions from The Hide Café Bar in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, since November.

Georgia Chick, 24, its founder, said that due to its increased popularity she had started running further sessions at Locanda Gabriella in Olney, near Milton Keynes.

"It's important we recognise that people in little villages still want to do creative things and we need to really start to see a build-up of these small communities," she said.

Holly Nichols/BBC A person, Georgia Chick, with long blonde hair sat indoors at a cafe with warm lighting. They are wearing a dark knitted sweater and a necklace with a round pendant. Behind them is a brick wall decorated with hanging mirrors and lights, and several people are seated at tables in the background. To the right, there are shelves holding books, papers, and baskets. — Georgia Chick, 24, set up the group in November 2025

Chick returned from an eight-month trip to Australia in August and felt there were no accessible and affordable groups for women to make social connections outside of the bigger towns and cities.

She said she had personal experience of it growing up in a small, rural village in Bedfordshire where she had found it difficult to meet new people and push herself out of her comfort zone.

"Every week we've had people that have come alone. That's what I try to build it for, because I would always be one of those people who wouldn't be confident enough to go to do something like this on my own," said Chick.

"There are a lot of returning customers which I'm really happy about because it means people are enjoying themselves."

The group aims to offer a safe space and it has regulars who join the sessions, and there is a cost attached - a "pinch pots" session in Olney next week costs £9 for instance.

Holly Nichols/BBC A small table is covered with art supplies and watercolour paintings in progress. Several hands are visible as people paint colourful fruit designs, a pink pomegranate, soft purple landscape-style waves, and a small grey figure. Paint palettes, brushes, paper towels with test marks, and drinks are scattered around the table. — Georgia Chick provides artistic material with guidance for each activity

The sessions revolve around art, with various activities such as watercolour painting, metal embossing and making leather journals.

Friends Poppy Barrett and Hannah Broughton attended the group for the first time in February.

Barrett, 26, said she joined as part of a personal challenge to try something different every day of 2026.

Broughton, 28, moved from Buckingham to Flitwick, in Bedfordshire, in 2025 and felt the group would allow her to meet new people and find out more about her local area.

She added: "It can be a little bit difficult to find groups, especially for girls, so as soon as I saw this, [I thought] 'got to be brave - go out and try something different'."

Girls who Create does use social media to publicise its activities - for example on Instagram.

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