CREATIVE ROOTS COLUMN

Folding For Peace

When mindful crafts can deliver a powerful message

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Reflections on mindfulness: Friday 31st of May 2024

Ask many young people what they would wish for and world peace often comes top of their priority list.

Having taught in a city school that was awarded status, I saw how confident students were to show they were “committed to creating a culture of welcome, understanding and belonging for those forced to flee.”

And the school worked hard to embed this ethos.

A couple of years ago, I started an origami club at breaktime. There were a core of students that came along to the library to fold with me. It’s a craft activity that I adopted over two decades ago, before the mindful benefits were recognised as they are now.

Strings of cranes like a window curtain — diarist’s own photograph.

One wonderful aspect of origami as a hobby is that it can be inexpensive and easily portable — you can fold absolutely anywhere! I also try to recycle paper when it’s available.