Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB Building Bridges with creative arts in Treorchy
Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB’s Mental Health Supported Recovery Unit in Treorchy has been collaborating with local artists to improve health and wellbeing through a creative arts project called Building Bridges.
Building Bridges follows an earlier successful project which involved two artists Chris Walters (a visual artist) and Graham Hartill (a writer) working directly with patients for a period of 12 weeks to improve health and wellbeing through access to the arts by offering arts classes. This culminated in an exhibition of the patients’ work called the Colours of Hope, which was displayed at Ysbyty George Thomas (YGT) last year.
The team found that these initial projects had a powerful impact and were beginning to bring together the ward community with local members of the Treorchy community. Building Bridges was set up to strengthen these connections even further.
The Building Bridges project aims to improve peoples’ mental health and wellbeing while breaking down barriers relating to mental health, by challenging and changing peoples’ perceptions of and attitudes towards mental health.
Over the last year through the Building Bridges project, Chris and Graham returned to work with patients andstaff at Ysbyty George Thomas to become involved. They have been running art classes and offering opportunities to engage with different creative materials, including painting, clay-work and other materials, alongside poetry, stories and song lyrics. By offering access to the arts through these classes and creative session, Chris and Graham have given the patients and the Supported Recovery Unit staff a platform to creatively communicate and express themselves, and in doing so, jointly improve their health, mental health and wellbeing.
Chris said: “It’s been mega watching the patients getting better at the different art projects– now they just crack on with it. Instead of me telling them what to do, now they tell me what to do!”
Graham said: “It’s fascinating hearing people tell stories about their lives – everybody’s got a thousand stories to tell, sad, happy, fond memories and tributes to their loved ones. I believe this work helps people feel they are listened to and they too have a right to the good things in life. Self-esteem comes through knowing people are interested in what you’ve got to say and write about. It’s great that this opportunity is being made available at YGT.
One of the patients who took part in the project said: “I’ve enjoyed doing the artwork, giving it to my mother and knowing I can look back on it in years to come.”
And another said: “I find it relaxing and soothing. It takes off the weight of the day.”
Laura Freeman, Clinical Psychologist at Ysbyty George Thomas said: “Art can be an incredible equaliser and creative mediums really have the power to bring people out of themselves and help connect with those around them. This includes people who might usually be more introverted, withdrawn or less likely to interact. Within this project, Chris and Graham have been using different forms of art to help ward patients and staff to work together to communicate more freely with each other; sharing experiences and stories and thus improving their mental health and wellbeing.
“People with mental health conditions are people first and foremost, but sometimes they can lose sight of their ability to achieve and do normal things – this project has really challenged that and helped our patients and those around them to tap into their inherent creativity and inspire each other to thrive and grow.
“For the next stage of our work we are really keen to find ways to do more to involve patients’ families. By continuing to ‘build bridges’ between different groups we hope to enhance understanding and empathy of mental health conditions and help to build stronger support networks for those with mental health difficulties and the communities they are a part of. We hope that our upcoming exhibitions will help with building further connections and will inspire more people to get involved with the projects.”
The Building Bridges project will be holding an exhibition and a talk at Treorchy Library on Tuesday 25th June at 2pm to showcase the work of the participants.
Building Bridges will also have a stand at the Rhondda Arts Festival at Ystradfechan field in Treorchy on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th June 2024. Members of the public will have the opportunity to talk to members of the team and find out more about the project.
24/06/2024