Caroline Groves x Anonymous

Anonymous story

“It was devastating to lose our home. I lived there for 49 years.” 

After receiving a significant and unexpected tax bill, Anonymous lost the home she shared with her elderly parents and daughter. 

With nowhere to go, Anonymous had to sofa-surf at the homes of friends and family, while her parents moved into their brother’s small flat and her daughter into her sister’s.  

After filing for bankruptcy, Anonymous went to the council for help and was given a Band B category of need. But then the council began to treat her case with suspicion and downgraded the family to Band E.  

“I’m not stupid, but I’m not well-educated. I didn’t know how to discuss my case with the people in charge. And then I went to Shelter and met Philomena.”   

After Philomena had Thelma’s case reassessed, the family were returned to high priority. In November, she successfully bid on a new social home.  

Caroline’s inspiration

After years of uncertainty, bankruptcy, eviction, navigating bureaucracy and surviving the Snakes and Ladders of Hope and Despair, all that my paired individual desired was a refuge.

These boots represent a home at its most basic, similar to that depicted in naïve domestic samplers. Using simple stitches, the embroidery reflects simple desires – family, dog, furniture – all protected by strong red brick, adorned with a rambling rose decorating the entrance. Precious and Fragile.

The linings depict the spiral of decline, somewhat like Alice tumbling into chaos, losing control, conversely interpreted as the never-ending climb out of the abyss.

While the person I am paired with wishes to remain anonymous, the name of her Shelter representative is hidden in the shoe - the silent hand that reached down as she was falling and brought her back out of the dark hole.

This is the story of homeless strife. It is also the story of the power of kindness.

Caroline Groves website

Caroline Groves Instagram

Visit Shoes Have Names at New Brewery Arts

The exhibition is open from 30th January to 2nd April at New Brewery Arts. It’s free to visit.

Support Shelter charity shops

This exhibition first appeared at a Shelter boutique in London. We wanted to connect shopping, fashion and craft to tell stories of homelessness. Whenever you pre-loved donate clothes, or buy from us you’re helping Shelter fight the housing emergency that is devastating lives.

To donate clothing and items to our charity shops via post, for free, simply download a free postage label. Or you can find your local Shelter charity shop here.

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To find out more about Shelter, click on the links below:

Shelter Website: http://england.shelter.org.uk/
Campaigning: http://england.shelter.org.uk/campaigns
Support us: https://england.shelter.org.uk/GetHelp
Get help: https://england.shelter.org.uk/get_help

Exciting news - shoe delivery

After a quiet few months on the project, things have really started to kick into gear with planning. We have confirmed our show will be live at the rearranged London Craft Week, plus all our amazing designers will have their projects finished by the end of this month.

The show will be open from Weds Sept 30 to Weds Oct 7.

In fact, I was lucky enough to receive finished shoes from Caroline Groves this afternoon. I've had a sneak peak and they are fantastic. I'm really looking forward to hearing the story and inspiration behind the concept.

Unfortunately, no sneak peaks for you. It will be worth the wait though!

Thank you to Caroline and all the other amazing designers taking in part in the project.

Richard

Inspirational studio visit

On Saturday a number of the Shoes Have Names team and collaborators enjoyed a studio visit to see the progress of Caroline Groves’ boot for the Shoes Have Names project. We also had a fantastic behind the scenes tour, which helped us understand more about her passions for heritage crafts, such as cross stitch and embroidery, and look at some of the beautiful tools of her craft.

Thank you to Caroline for welcoming Jo, Dan, Jackie and me!

Richard

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My inspiration

Meeting the team at Shelter, what stood out for me is their passion and dedication to their work. While the person I am paired with wishes to remain anonymous, my email communication with her revealed her high regard for her case worker at Shelter, who was pivotal in achieving a positive outcome for her.

The value of the work done here to advocate for those without a home cannot be overstated - not just providing the physical structure of four walls, but the rebuilding of broken souls.

The person I am paired with is, like many of us, a woman at the centre of her family, for whom she is responsible, and who depend on her. Her only wish is to be happy and to have the domestic life she craves - collecting what is most important to her under one roof - her personal items, her family, her dog.

My work has always been based on traditional craft techniques utilising natural materials and my thoughts for this project turned to narrative embroidery. Most traditional samplers feature domestic scenes, with the house and home at the centre. This is my inspiration.

Caroline Groves

Shoes Have Names Collaborator

My website