A CREATIVE arts funding fair organised by town MP Karen Lumley at the Southcrest Manor Hotel has been hailed a success.

Doors opened at 10am with complimentary teas and coffees on arrival. Presentations followed from Arts Council England, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Worcestershire County Council, Redditch Borough Council and Redditch Arts Council.

There was then the opportunity for guests to ask the funding providers questions before time for networking.

Unfortunately Mrs Lumley had to pull out of the event at the last minute due to a close family bereavement but her team were on hand to assist at the event.

The arts fair follows the success of Mrs Lumley's funding fair in 2013.

She said: "I am pleased that the event was such a success. I was sad not to have been able to attend the fair myself but have heard numerous reports following the event that our aims were achieved. It was a great opportunity for like-minded people with shared interests to get together and discuss what they were doing well and what they could be doing better.

"This was the second funding fair I have hosted during my time as an MP, as well as my two jobs fairs and an apprenticeship fair, and the important lesson that has been taken from all of these is that there are opportunities open to people that they are not always aware of. We must do more to ensure that people are able to identify the funding and opportunities they need."

She added that she had been aware for some time that the application processes for funding can be daunting and now that numerous Reddich groups have with with funding providers, they will for more comfortable approaching them for funding.