Falmouth town councillors have given £600 to a project by an artist exploring the "lived" experience of local women who became new mums during the lockdown.

At a meeting of Falmouth Town Council's finance and general purposes committee last week, members heard an application for £100 towards the project from local artist Jessica Voke.

She told councillors that her aim is to provide a platform for the sharing of trauma stories, as well as the healing provided by a collaborative process of making and mending – a quilt, stitched together by the many hands of the community.

She said she'd had an incredible response to the project and was now running a week-long free of charge community arts event at The Poly in January 2023 which is aiming to provide catharsis for the whole community, as a result of the enforced isolation caused by the national lock downs.

She wanted the £100 to fund the purchase of audio listening equipment, so that the visitors to the event and exhibition are able to listen to the pre-recorded verbal accounts of local new mums who have contributed accounts of their lived experience to the project. She said the full cost of the project was £600 and she'd be funding the rest out of her own pocket.

However, after hearing her presentation, councillors felt that it was such an important thing that they would fund the full £600 with £300 coming from the town council and the remaining £300 from councillors' own funds.

Falmouth mayor Steve Eva said: "I think this is brilliant, absolutely brilliant. I would like to fund it all. I don't know whether we can give half towards it as it is very important and such a good thing to do."

Councillors said they hoped the quilt could be displayed in Falmouth Art Gallery or library once the exhibition is over.

Jessica Voke said she was touched by the councillors' generosity.

"I'm really, really touched," she said. "Thankyou, that is really kind."