Singer-songwriter Joy Crookes links up with global outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland for their European campaign, “My Community. Our Nature”
| With the campaign, she connects with her south-east London roots to champion youth clubs and encourage creativity through workshops, a collaborative urban greening project and an employment pathway. Born and bred in Elephant & Castle, Joy is proud to be leading a community-driven initiative at InSpire Youth Club, based in St Peter’s Church not far from where she lives today. Ahead of her hotly anticipated debut album Skin, arriving on October 15th, and riding the wave of her growing success, she is still firmly rooted in her local community and keen to spotlight and equip the future generations with confidence and guidance. Music and nature are embedded in this project as the common ally in giving them a sense of purpose. |
| Culture and identity are also common themes in Joy’s narrative and public dialogue. Joy has witnessed the downfall of local communities due to austerity and gentrification; working with Timberland has given Joy the tools and resources to invest time and energy to address this. |
Joy Crookes comments:
“I am so inspired and motivated to be partnering with Timberland to help keep InSpire running. Supporting my community and providing opportunities for local young people is really important to me, especially as I see South London continuing to be affected by gentrification and austerity. In less than a decade, spending on Youth Services throughout the UK has been cut by 70%.
I want this partnership to boost the community, provide collective inspiration, opportunities and get young people connected with nature. With the support of Timberland, I pledge to make a better future for the next generation of leaders.”
| Nature is widely credited for promoting creativity, inspiration, positive mental health and wellbeing. As the legacy and pinnacle of the bigger urban greening project, Joy will bring to life a creativity garden to drive engagement with nature and support mental health. |
InSpire at St Peter’s Church is a community based charity that provides the local youth of Walworth – as part of the Elephant & Castle area – with a safe place to socialise and build their confidence with weekly drama and music workshops. These workshops boost creativity, promote inspiration and also nurture a sense of identity and community for local young people.
| “Joy is an excellent ambassador for our community and the challenges we face as a charity. Our work with Timberland and Joy will remain essential in solving and combatting all the social challenges and elements such as the ‘gentrification’ of our neighbourhood that are being experienced locally and affects many of the young people’s families who attend InSpire.” says Nigel Scott-Dickeson, CEO InSpire at St Peter’s. |
| Supported by Timberland’s largest ever global campaign, Nature Needs Heroes, Joy Crookes joins a strong lineup of ambassadors. Timberland is committed to planting 50 million trees by 2025 and to become net positive by 2030. |
