To celebrate International Women’s Day in March 2025, our Take Up Space community took part in Mothers without Hands - a highly visual community art project conceived and orchestrated by Birmingham-based artist TEREZA BUŠKOVÁ.

Driven by collaboration with textile artists, weavers, bakers, activists, performers and folk musicians, Mothers without Hands is an international, folklore-inspired, community art project that brings together women of all ages and backgrounds living in both the UK and the Czech Republic.

Encompassing empowering and protective acts of craft and costume making as well as participatory processions in Folkestone, Birmingham & Walsall, Brno & Prague, the project is designed to raise awareness of physical, sexual and domestic violence against women and girls.

The first Mothers without Hands procession took place in Folkestone on Saturday 8 March to celebrate International Women’s Day; beginning with a sand pouring ritual before setting off around the town centre.

The weekend before, we invited the community to take part in making baked bread protective costumes as well as baking, assembling and decorating the costumes and hand-held bread totems to be carried and worn during the procession.