Finding Your Way - Refugee Futures

We collaborated with Refugee Futures, a local charity that helps refugees and people seeking asylum flourish, in partnership with The British Red Cross to create a comprehensive map and leaflet for Stockton-On-Tees, supporting those seeking support.

This resource connects newcomers with vital community services including affordable shopping, education opportunities, places of worship, and healthcare facilities. We're committed to helping everyone who lives here to feel welcome and empowered to thrive in Stockton, our hometown.

Proud to have helped bring this to life!

Learn more about supporting refugees and local community work here: www.refuguefutures.org.uk

Stockton & Darlington Railway Activity Pack

On the 27th September 1825, 195 years ago, history was made; the dawn of the railway passenger age. Stockton Borough Council, Darlington Borough Council and a wide range of partner groups and organisations are combining forces to embark on a spectacular celebration for the Stockton Darlington Railway bicentenary in 2025.

Stockton Borough Council asked us to create a children’s activity pack for them to distribute to local schools, to educate and create engagement around the Anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, as well as supporting them in the production of an animated teaser video!

Bespoke activity packs are a brilliant, cost-effective way of creating engagement, and supporting whatever message or story you have to tell. We’ve developed several activity packs now alongside Stockton Borough Council council, to celebrate local events and history. All our activity packs are beautifully bespoke and help educate and entertain younger audiences. We happily covered the design and creation of the pack, as well as advising on some of the content and activities, but none of this would be possible without Stockton Borough Council’s passion for delivering outstanding and engaging content which champions local events and history.

The front cover design, featuring our illustration of the beloved Stockton Flyer sculpture.

We were delighted to be a part of such a creative brief, and it was great to see how passionate creatives from different backgrounds were brought together to create something special. As well as working with us to develop and design the activity pack, the council worked with writer and theatre-maker Ruth Mary Johnson on a beautiful intro for the pack...they even commissioned a unique, original soundtrack to be created by a group of exceptional emerging young musicians, via the Apollo Arts Young Music Leaders programme.

Activities in the pack ranged from a poetry competition to an engaging wordsearch, elegant paper-craft activity, and a stunning colouring-in sheet designed by our dear friend and local children's book illustrator Anjalee Burrows! We also included a ‘design a dream carriage’ competition, which we’ll be judging ourselves.

The intro page we designed, featuring a beautiful introduction by Ruth Mary Johnson.

Facts page, featuring our illustration of the clock at Darlington Railway Station.

Poetry competition, to be judged by Richard Drake of Drake The Bookshop!

The colouring-in sheet was designed in collaboration with local Illustrator, Anjalee Burrows.

A Wordsearch featuring Detective Locomo!

An activity encouraging participants to respond with a first memory of seeing or being on a train.

A paper craft activity featuring the wonderful Stockton Town Flyer on its plinth!

We had great fun delivering this project!

Perhaps an activity pack could be a great way to enhance your event, mark a celebration or engage your audience? We can work with you to develop a story or theme that fits perfectly, and seamlessly incorporate your brand and messaging.

Press Release: Putting the real ale trail on the map

‘A talented artist has designed and illustrated Ale trail map and guide to the town’s real ale pubs. Abby Taylor was approached by Stockton BID (business improvement district) to produce an illustrated ale Trail to the real ale pubs in the town.

Abby was asked by BID to produce the new map and guide “with a little more flair” to tantalise prospective drinkers. She said: “ I was tasked with producing 11 original illustrations of the pubs around Stockton, from cheerful town centre pubs and vibrant little bars, to the beautiful micro pub is tucked away in the town’s Cultural Quarter.”

Abby added: the illustrations represent Stockton as a true haven for those of us who enjoy a great pint of ale. I had the pleasure of visiting each of these pubs to take reference photographs for the illustrations. Eleven may sound like rather a lot but you don’t have to try them on a single day!

She designed the foldout Ale Trail Map, along with a beautiful brand identity for the trial itself, including a striking logo, and a pattern featuring bottles and pints of ale.

Stockton BID manager, Jason Maxwell, said the commission came out about as previous versions of the ale Trail had done the job, but were lacking in visual appeal.

He said: “Stockton has a growing reputation for micropubs and I wanted to do something to support them, so we decided on the Ale Trail. It was first done a few years ago, I wanted it brought right up to date with a cool twist - so commissioned Abby. I am really proud of what we are put together and I think the pubs like them too. “

Anyone wanting to pick up a copy of the Stockton Ale Trail, should just pop into any of the 11 pubs on the trail: The Golden Smog, The Thomas Sheraton, The Storytellers, Lucifers, Musiclounge, the Georgian Theatre, Hope & Union, The Wasps Neat, Ivy House, The Sun Inn and The Royal Oak.

Abby has previously worked with BID on replacing the George and Dragon illustration in Stockton’s Green Dragon Yard and producing illustrations for the renovated Globe Theatre on the High Street.’

-Article by Ian Monaghan for Stockton & Billingham Life