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The Purple Thread: Get your craft on

A light purple background, overlayed with 15 irregular dark purple shapes
  • Written byStudent Communications
  • Published date 09 February 2026
A light purple background, overlayed with 15 irregular dark purple shapes
Disability History Month | UAL Creative

Interested in trying something new? Working on a current craft project already? Looking to connect with other members of the UAL community? Then The Purple Thread might be perfect for you!

What is The Purple Thread?

Orchestrated by the Disabled and Neurodiverse Staff Network (DSN), the Purple Thread is a collaborative art project that invites students and staff at UAL to explore themes of disability and neurodiversity through creative expression. Taking the form of a series of in-person workshops throughout February, the project will be an informal and welcoming space to express, reflect and create.

Whatever your medium, whatever your story, all are welcome to take part. Each session will focus on a specific craft but if you would rather work on something else in a social setting, you’re welcome to come along. Materials will be provided for specific crafts, or you’re encouraged to bring your own.

Wendy Norford, co-chair of the DSN, had this to say:

"I hope colleagues and students get involved with The Purple Thread as it provides an opportunity to contribute to something collaborative and authentically UAL. I'm looking forward to getting involved in some crafting myself and whether you're a seasoned pro or a complete beginner, all are welcome to take part."

Come along and get crafty

All sessions will take place in room A002, CSM. The first session will take place 12.30-2.30pm on Tuesday 10 February and will focus on Origami and zine folding. You can drop-in and stay for as long as you like. Subsequent sessions will take place between 1 – 2pm on 17, 18, 19, 24 and 25 February and the closing session is 12.30 - 2pm on 3 March.

The workshops will be facilitated by Diksha Ashok, a graduate of MA Service Design at LCC. She is also the co-lead of the Neuro-Inclusive Play Collective; a student-led group for neurodivergent creatives to come together to share lived experiences through embodied and playful methods. She is experienced in facilitating workshops for different audiences and is currently working at the intersection of inclusion and accessibility within academia and creative sectors.

Exhibiting your creations

The plan is to exhibit the creations that come out of The Purple Thread sessions in a mini exhibition at The Street, CSM sometime in April. More details will follow but, in the meantime, we hope our creative community get involved in this exciting project.