‘The way I see the world is through colour and art, to some people it’s a language and it’s a form of how we communicate. I feel its so good for your wellbeing’
Anna Crombie-Addison from Cabana Crafts at Meridian Point in Cleethorpes(Image: Mark Cribb/Send In)
Anna Crombie-Addison started Arty Beanz CIC to support social, emotional and creative wellbeing through art and crafts, running a wide range of workshops and art groups across the community. She works with children, families, home-educated young people, adults, and individuals who are often socially isolated or neurodivergent – and now, what started as small community sessions has grown into something much bigger.
Anna recently made the decision to take the huge step to opening a workshop and retail space at Meridian Point, Cleethorpes. The shop Cabana Crafts provides a creative hub for the community while Arty Beanz continues to deliver accessible, wellbeing-focused arts provision.
Anna opened the creative hub in October 2025, and says it’s one of the best decisions she’s made. “Opening the workshop unit has been one of the best decisions I’ve made, allowing me to bring everything under one roof and expand what’s available locally,” she said.
“I started Arty Beanz to deliver craft and art sessions to the community. I started at Scartho Community Library delivering sessions mostly to children but found a lot of people coming in and asking about adult groups. I started going into the community and was renting rooms that much, so we opened here.”
Speaking about how important art is and why she started the company she said: “The way I see the world is through colour and art, to some people it’s a language and it’s a form of how we communicate. I feel its so good for your wellbeing, you can create something and afterwards, straight away you feel like your chest is lighter and your shoulders are relaxed because you have done something to take your mind off kind of intrusive thoughts you’re having, it helps you concentrate on something positive.”
“I did my teaching assistant training at a school, I liked it but it’s so quick having to push the kids through the art session and that’s not what art is about, it’s about taking time and being creative and passionate. I had wanted to teach at schools but its very capped on your being, which just isn’t art, you have to be free and creative, you can’t feel trapped under paperwork when you want to create things, so I wanted to launch and do my own Art Themed company, I work with everyone from beginners to enhanced.”
All of Anna’s sessions are designed around creativity as a tool for connection, confidence, mental health, and emotional wellbeing. The focus is not on being ‘good at art’, but on belonging, expression, and finding a safe, welcoming space. “All my sessions are run from here now, even the parties which I’m hoping to expand in the future.
“I’ve just started an evening course for felting, I’m making sure people working have something mid-week so that will be the first Wednesday of every month. I do a Bump and Baby group which works at creating memory books and boxes. I do a toddler group too, where I put all the mixing trays on the floor and they just make a giant mess, it’s great. I also have a knit and natter group on Friday’s called ‘The Clan of the Hook and the Needle’.
“I have a home educated group as well, that’s important to me because my daughter is home educated. I’m teaching them about the artists because it’s always inspiring to learn how someone’s created a piece of work, so we research the artist and the children will do transcriptions, it is also helping with home educated children having structure to their work process. It’s such a nice group for Mums to get together too, they’ll be chatting away to each other, sharing experiences, each group is for unity.”
She added: “It’s great seeing the groups progressing but what’s even nicer is all the different people that I get to meet, and the kids are all so clever, they just keep trying and getting stuck in until they can do it. I’m currently working on a new group called The Umbrella Group, this is designed for people on the spectrum, it’s mostly designed for people who are under the neurodiverse umbrella.”
Cabana Crafts also supports local makers and artists by giving them a place to showcase and sell their work. Local artists can rent shelves for their handcrafted creations at the front of the shop. “People are coming in from the community and starting to take the shelves on. I just love everyone’s art and appreciate and embrace all art works.”
Are you a community group or community space providing services, events or activities for the residents of your area? Contact donna.clifford@reachplc.com
