Ken Bruce and other Radio 2 DJ’s have been playing this soundbite all this week, to explain how funding from Comic Relief has made a huge difference to the participants of Mindful Art Club at The Sunflower Women’s Centre.
Listen now:
Book Now: Evening Wellbeing Course
Do you suffer from stress or worry?
Want to practice art for self-care?
Looking for a fun and easy way to learn mindfulness?
Tickets are now available for our next eight-week Mindful Art Wellbeing Course.
The next course begins on Monday 9th May 2022 and will be at a venue in Plymouth city centre. Places are limited so it will be first-come, first-served.
Taster Session: Monday 28th March 2022 Read more.
This wellbeing course will be hosted by Emma Sprawson and Lee Squires. Lee will be offering ten minutes of Qi Gong at the beginning of the session.
Read more: Mindful Art Wellbeing Course – with Qi Gong
‘Art could help save the NHS millions…’
A woman who helped establish The Mindful Art Club in Plymouth has called for more research into what helps or at least can control the nation’s mental health struggles.
reports Nino Robertson for ‘Plymouth Live’ (The Herald).
We were delighted to welcome Nino to our group recently, who joined us for a mindful art session at Moments Café, with the Mayor and Consort.
Read: Lord Mayor Visits Mindful Art Club
Nino wrote this great article for Plymouth Live which describes what we do and why we do it.
Read: ‘Art could help save the NHS millions’ as club set up in Plymouth.
Join our club: Sign up for free colouring pages and doodle sheets.
Brene Brown: Connection and Belonging
At the moment I’m listening to Brene Brown’s audio book, ‘Daring Greatly.’ Brené Brown is an American research professor, lecturer, author, and podcast host, known for her research on shame, vulnerability, and leadership. She became famous in 2010 for her TED Talk, The Power of Vulnerability.
In ‘Daring Greatly’ she says that if we want to fully experience love and belonging we must believe that we are worthy of love and belonging. I thought that her definitions of connection and belonging really describe what happens at Mindful Art Club.
Connection is the energy that is created between people when they feel seen, heard and valued. When they can give and receive without judgement. Belonging is the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us. Because this yearning is so primal we often try to acquire it by fitting in and seeking approval, which are not only hollow substitutes for belonging but often barriers to it. Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.
Brene Brown, ‘Daring Greatly’.
Join the Mindful Art Club newsletter now to develop a greater sense of connection and belonging!
Lord Mayor Visits Mindful Art Club
On Friday 4th March 2022 The Lord Mayor and Consort visited our weekly art group, held upstairs in Moments Cafe, in Plymouth City Centre.
It was a pleasure to meet The Lord Mayor Mrs Terri Beer, and Consort, Mr Colin Beer, who joined us for coffee and a chat, and then took part in the mindful art session, with ten other participants.
The session included a check-in, guided mindfulness, mindful art, and then a simple art project, with the opportunity to chat and relax. The Mayor and Consort engaged in the group discussions and enjoyed the activities.
Terri Beer was born and raised in Plymouth and has lived in the city all her life. She was educated at St. Maurice Primary School and Plympton Secondary Modern School (now Plympton Academy). Our very first Mindful Art Club was founded in Plympton and still takes place at The Brook Inn on Thursdays. Mindful Art Club has now grown to offer sessions in community services all over Plymouth. We also offer one day retreats, staff wellbeing sessions and evening classes.
Join our club by signing up here to find out what we offer in your area.
[Video] Mindful Art at Ocean Studios
After winning a competition to receive a year’s business support from The Real Ideas Organisation we have now run hundreds of mindful art sessions, many of them at Ocean Studios in Royal William Yard. Watch now to find out:
- Why we started this social enterprise
- What happens at a typical mindful art session
- See the stunning waterside venue at Ocean Studios
- Hear from Lee Squires the benefits of volunteering
- What is mindful drawing
Try mindful drawing at home: Sign up for free colouring pages and zen doodling activity sheets.
Evening Taster Session: Book Now
Do you work during the daytimes?
Are you wishing we’d offer a one-off evening session just so that you can try it?
Want to try Qi Gong and mindful art to see if you like it?
We get that.
We’re offering a one-off evening event in Plymouth city centre on 28th March 2022. We expect these places to sell out quickly, so contact us now if you would like to reserve your place.
This two hour session includes:
- Qi Gong with Lee Squires
- Mindful art with Emma Sprawson
- The opportunity to chat and relax
- All art materials
- Coffee or tea
This one-off session will give you a taste of what you can expect on our eight week wellbeing course.
How is this evening different to other mindfulness sessions?
The focus of our work is social connection and support, and the art and mindfulness come second to that. Quiet reflection takes place during the guided mindfulness, but for the majority of the session participants will be encouraged to talk.
Benefits:
- Improve your mental health
- Feel more socially connected
- Enjoy Qi Gong mindful movement
- Learn mindfulness and art for self care
Your investment: Just £19.50
Click here to reserve your place today.
Plympton Art Course Improves Mental Health
We recently offered a six week course at Plympton Guildhall, called ‘Doodle Your Recovery’ – thanks to funding from Devon Recovery Learning Community.
Initial feedback indicates that one hundred percent of the participants enjoyed the course. When asked what they had learned on the course people wrote:
- To relax and just let creativity flow
- Mindfulness
- To breathe better
- Empathy
- To give time to myself
- Communication
- How to think of myself as well as others
- To not dwell on problems so much
- To express feelings through art
- That I am not alone and it’s OK to feel how I feel
Some suggestions to make the course better included:
- Maybe more meditation
- Qi Gong
- Name badges
- Increase it to two hours, with a break
One hundred percent of survey respondents said they would recommend the course to other people.
If you would like to try using creativity to improve your mental health we will be at The Brook Inn, 33 Longbrook Street, Plympton, PL7 1NJ from Thursday 3rd March 2022.
The Evening Course You’ve Been Waiting For!
Do you suffer from stress or worry?
Want to practice art for self-care?
Looking for a fun and easy way to learn mindfulness?
The waiting list is now open for our popular eight week evening course starting on Monday May 9th in Plymouth city centre.
Read more: https://mindfulartclub.co.uk/wellbeing/
This course will be hosted by mindful artist Emma Sprawson and Qi Gong teacher, Lee Squires.
Unique Corporate Opportunity
As a small grass roots community group, over the past two years we have consistently offered mental health support and social connection to the Plymouth community during these unprecedented challenging times.
Our Impact
- 69% of mindful art course participants said it had helped them with anxiety.
- 44% said a mindful art course helped them with depression.
- 40% said it helped them with another mental health issue.
- 59% said it helped them with loneliness or isolation.
- Participants also reported being helped with physical health, low self-esteem and other issues not listed in our survey.
- 66% said they had increased their ability to use mindfulness.
- 84% said they had increased their ability to use art as a self care practice.
(Source: Collected feedback form responses, accessed 04/02/22)
I enjoy the mindfulness and art. As I do art at home it helps my acute pain. The group makes me feel rested and at ease. Emma, Lee and Peggy are wonderful.
Anonymous participant feedback.
We are grateful to our existing grant funders who share our vision of a world where peer support, mindfulness, creative activities and social connection are easily available in local communities. With their support we have helped hundreds of people since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- We have received funding and support from Devon Mind, The Sunflower Women’s Centre, Comic Relief, Shekinah, The National Lottery Community Fund, High Street Sparks Fund, Devon Recovery Learning Community and Devon Community Foundation.
- We won a year’s business support from Real Ideas Organisation.
- We have secured media attention from The Plymouth Herald, The Plymouth Chronicle, BBC Radio Devon, many smaller local community radio stations, and BBC Spotlight News. In the Media.
How You Can Support Us
- Sponsor a course, a group or a one day retreat
- Book a staff wellbeing session
- Donate directly with Paypal
- Sign up to a regular corporate gift
- Donate a gift in kind (for example room hire or art materials)
- Encourage your employees to sign up to a challenge event in aid of Mindful Art Club
- Organise your own fundraising event such as a bake sale, mufti day or casual Friday – tie it in with a national mental health awareness day
You Will Be Rewarded By
- Enhancing your brand as socially responsible
- Securing positive PR
- Attracting socially conscious customers
- Showing your employees you appreciate the importance of mental health
- Making you look more attractive as an employer
If your business is passionate about improving mental health and reducing social isolation then contact us now to discuss a mutually beneficial partnership.
Ask for our brochure to find out more.
