The Felt Presence

Where what’s felt finds form.

A gentle, open space for making, remembering, and connecting through creativity.

The Felt Presence ‘Community Grief Blanket’ Project, is an open-access, intergenerational support group based at The Hub in Peckham, delivered by Illuminated Arts CIC in partnership with the University of the Arts London. We support anyone in Southwark affected by grief, whether through bereavement, anticipatory loss, or the fading of community ties.

Our group recognises that grief does not belong to one generation. Young adults may grieve friends, parents, or future plans cut short; middle-aged people may struggle with caring responsibilities or the loss of peers; older residents may face the compounded sorrow of losing partners, siblings, or long-term community connections. Each carries a different kind of pain, yet all need the same things: understanding, belonging, and a safe space to express what words cannot always reach.

Participants gather in an informal, welcoming environment to share tea, conversation, and creative activity. Under the guidance of  professional community artists, end-of-life doulas, trained volunteers and invited guests, each person contributes to the making of a ‘Community Grief Blanket’, felted and stitched from natural fibres, symbolising shared care, memory, and hope.

This slow, mindful process gives participants permission to take their time, reflect, and connect. Some talk openly, others work quietly, but all find comfort in being part of something made together. The act of felting and sewing calms the nervous system, improves focus, and creates a sense of grounding and continuity.

This is a monthly session (usually the last Tuesday of the month) from 6.30 -8.30pm. Book a free place via our Eventbrite page HERE.