The Funshop…

Together Co is a charity that does brilliant work around Brighton, helping the older population, people with health conditions, and other vulnerable individuals to meet people and build community. Their ethos of building community and connections aligns with our values seamlessly. Our Funshops are all about connection, so to deliver one to the Together Co team was an honour and felt like a harmonious collaboration.

Our Funshop for the Together Co team was part of an all-staff team building day. The Funshop was one of several activities that the team were taking part in. Consequently, the session was adapted to fit within a shorter time scale. We wanted to prioritise the core aspects of the Funshop - connection, reflection, learning, and draping. We decided to just try one drape so that people could still enjoy draping up without feeling rushed.  

Poppy, who led the session, began by asking everybody to peruse the sarees on display and pick one that they wanted to drape. Once everybody had chosen a saree, she demonstrated how to drape the saree in the nivi style on herself, while everybody followed along. As everyone was draping up, we thought about the garment and how it felt to wear and be held in. We talked as a group about how novel it was that everyone present was able to wear the saree, no matter their shape, size or height. Several people shared that they were surprised and delighted by how inclusive and versatile the saree can be. 

The team reflected that the act of dressing up was a really fun, unique way to connect with colleagues. Everyone was encouraged to prioritise creativity and play over getting the saree perfectly pleated, creating a relaxed and light-hearted environment in the room. Assisting their colleagues with draping and pleating created the shared experience of dressing up, for the team. It was great to see everyone so willing to help one another and prioritising fun when thinking about clothes. It was clear that the shared experience of dressing up and uplifting one another made everyone feel confident and connected. One person shared that the experience ‘brought us all together’. Another team member reflected that ‘there were lots of giggles and fun, it was a really enjoyable experience’.

Once everybody was draped up, we sat for discussion and to learn more about the saree and its roots. Poppy contextualised the saree by talking about its heritage and the different ways that sarees can be weaved. We reflected on how inherently political the saree is; how it is at once a source of comfort and identity, a symbol of women’s rights and protest, as well as being a target for discrimination in some parts of the Western World. The participants shared that they found these conversations really engaging and thoughtful, feeling a sense of solidarity with their fellow colleagues but also with women around the world.

Our afternoon with Together Co was a real treat. It was rewarding to see how much the participants enjoyed the different aspects of the Funshop and to hear that they felt closer and more connected to their colleagues.