Projects

We include some of our latest projects. This includes continuing to support Origami Nigeria and director, Dr Lizzie Burns, in November 2023 being invited to give talks and give lectures to nurses and academics in St Luke’s International University in Tokyo. Both directors have also been invited to teach origami at the British Origami Society.

Origami Nigeria – 2024

We are honored to collaborate with Origami Nigeria initiated and run by Oluwatobi Sodimu to bring positive change in Nigeria. Originally a chemist and teacher, Oluwatobi has run workshops and events since 2017 offering origami as a tool to enhance creativity, self-confidence and to bring community including between tribes. We share common aims and values in nurturing wellbeing through origami and kindness between communities. We have been impressed by Oluwatobi’s work. Current projects include supporting healthcare workers, and working with children with special needs, helping those in hospital and with those with mental health problems. We have seen the difference Oluwatobi is making to others and can’t wait as to what will unfold! Take a look at the Ifoldedit website and consider if you could make a donation to contribute to bringing joy across the world.

We have also continued to support Origami Nigeria through teaching as part of their Origami Fellowship programme. We are honored that our director, Dr Lizzie Burns, was recently awarded ‘The Ebenezer Anifowose’ Award for Dedication and Commitment to the Origami Society.

If you’d like to read more download these beautiful brochures: iFOLDEDIT Brochure Origami Brochure:

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Visiting Japan – November 2021

With thanks to Professor Mami Inoue, our director Dr Lizzie Burns was hugely honored to be invited to give a talk in person in St Luke’s International University in Tokyo alongside Professor Paul Crawford in a public lecture event supported by a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science grant on ‘Health Humanities’. Lizzie has also been asked to contribute a chapter for the first Health Humanities book in Japan which will be translated into Japanese.

Visiting Japan also allowed visiting the astonishing Yumetomo Project in Kadoma. Their aim is to create community where people with dementia and the elderly can play leading roles by connecting with a variety of people and organizations, and to create the chain of smiles. Their aim is to spread from Kadoma to the rest of Japan and to the world a “city where people with dementia can shine” where people can have hope instead of despair, connections instead of isolation, and dreams instead of giving up.

This visit to Japan was deeply touching in the care and generosity of spirit Lizzie received which is at the heart of ‘omotenashi’ (御持成). The Japanese concept of attentive hospitality and mindfulness comes from tea ceremony and is expressed throughout Japanese culture including origami. ‘Omontenashi’ brings attentiveness, focus and care. We continue to collaborate in understanding origami in Japan and across the world.

The Origami Red Squirrel Project

The Red Squirrel species has been native to the UK for around 10,000 years. Red squirrels have been historically widespread across the British Isles with Grey Squirrels introduced to the UK from North America by the Victorians in the 1800s.

The population of Grey Squirrels is currently estimated at 2.5 million. Red Squirrels total only 140,000, the majority residing in Scotland and the rest dispersed in and around the UK. Formby a town in the Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England is one of five strongholds.

Without conservation, Red Squirrels could become extinct in England in approximately 10 years. Time is running out! In response, this project was originated by Zulay Sayalerol and supported by the Sefton Borough of Culture 2020.

By making the Red Squirrel, you will not only raise awareness, but you will also enjoy the therapeutic benefits of Origami. To find the PDF instructions on how to make your very own red squirrel, please click here

To Watch the video tutorial on our YouTube Channel Origami Pulse CIC please click here

Please send us a picture of your origami Red Squirrel to origamipulse@gmail.com and share it on social media with the hashtag #myorigamiredsquirrel

Lottery projects: 2019-2022

Please click above for a beautiful animated video about this project.

Read more about the work we were able to do with vulnerable members of communities in the Merseyside and Oxfordshire thanks to support from the National Lottery and the community fund. We hope we can make more happen in future so we can continue.

Community Foundation for Merseyside

Thanks to the support of the Community foundation we worked with people experiencing mental health conditions such anxiety and depression and living in Southport and in the Ainsdale village. The primary outcome was to improve mental and emotional wellbeing, we had informal discussions and handed forms receiving very positive feedback. With the help of this grant we supported vulnerable people and promoted opportunities for creativity. Communities will benefit as participants in the origami sessions go on to share the skills they have learned with families and friends. For older people, in particular, sharing these skills with grandchildren then provides is very important as this continues the flow of wellbeing into new generations.

Groundwork Tesco Bags of Help

Thanks to their support our project has made a big difference to isolated people living in Southport. We were able to deliver 25 sessions and all the feedback was very positive. In one occasion, delivering an Origami workshop, a lady with cancer came after the session to express her gratitude and told us how by just learning Origami she cleared her mind of thoughts and she didn’t even think about her chemotherapy treatment. Many of the people mentioned will carry on learning and sharing the skills with friends and loved ones. Some participants from the project are now volunteering with us and they are involved in informing the design, development and delivery of sessions.

Postcode Community Trust

Thanks to this funder we ran this project which aims to help people affected by mental health and isolation, foster wellbeing, new social networks, access to information, advice and guidance in continuing to engage in the practice of Origami. Our origami workshops will bring people together and provide a strong sense of achievement through transforming a piece of paper into a beautiful creation. We delivered 20 sessions in Southport Community Centres and around Merseyside