It's Wednesday afternoon, and the once plain sports hall in Butetown Youth Pavilion is now a riot of colour. The floor is awash with different materials - from blue netting to foil and tissue paper - along with paint palettes, spray cans, scissors, twigs, and artificial flowers.
People young and old sit amidst the disarray - heads down and eyebrows furrowed in concentration - as they create hats, capes, tunics and flags. Two helpers mingle amongst them, one assisting a young boy as he bejewels a crown.
They're working hard because they have a strict deadline to hit. Butetown Carnival is just three days away - a historic two-day celebration of the area's notable past and the bright future of its multicultural community.
