THE views of the Victorian social commentator John Ruskin are to be promoted in a new project which will take his ideas and works to community groups ranging from schools to prisons.

Ruskin For All' is being funded by the Ruskin Foundation, which has appointed Emma Bartlet to the new post of education and outreach officer. She comes to the post after four years with Grizedale Arts where she was education officer.

Ms Bartlet spoke about her new responsibilities: "The works of Ruskin are extremely relevant today," she explained. "Our society is founded on many of his ideas. Education for all, libraries, museums, our social responsibilities of looking after those who are poor or ill, our health service all come from the ideas and writings of Ruskin.

"Until now, places like Brantwood, his former home, and the Ruskin Library at Lancaster University, have encouraged people to come in to learn about him. This project means I will build on that work. I'm going to take his ideas and works out into the community.

"I'll be working with groups in schools, colleges, prisons, refugee groups, asylum seekers, young and old. I am taking Ruskin out to make him accessible to everyone."

Already, Ms Bartlet has made contact with refugee groups in Barrow-in-Furness, and this week she met staff at Haverigg Prison to develop a programme there.

She explained: "We are working on preparing what can be described as interactive toolkits which will be tailored to the needs of whatever group we are dealing with, including language translations. Eventually, we hope to evaluate our work with the groups, to see if we have encouraged them to be creative thinkers."

Ruskin For All' is a three-year project targeting groups in the North West, including Cumbria, Lancashire, and eventually Merseyside.