Tag: mental health

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How to Find Mindful Art Club at the Unitarian Church Hall in Plymouth

Looking for women’s art classes in Plymouth that also offer friendly company and mental health support? Mindful Art Club could be just what you need. Co-founder Peggy shows in her short video just how close the group’s venue is to the city centre — so if you’re wondering how to find Burgess Hall, here’s your step-by-step guide.

Women’s Mindful Art at Unitarian Church Hall – just three dates left!

From the City Centre to Burgess Hall

Start at St. Andrew’s Cross, right at the top of Royal Parade. From there, head down St. Andrew’s Street, next to St. Andrew’s Church. Keep walking along St. Andrew Street towards the Magistrates’ Court.

Once you reach the court, turn right, and you’ll soon see the Unitarian Church Hall (known as Burgess Hall) just around the back of the church. There’s even a handy shortcut through the nearby Baptist Church car park. In her video, Peggy makes it clear: it’s only a few minutes’ walk from Plymouth City Centre. You can also walk there from The Treasury Cafe-Bar on Royal parade, down Catherine’s Street.

Why Visit Mindful Art Club?

Mindful Art Club isn’t just an art group in Plymouth. It’s also a welcoming space for people looking for free mental health support in Plymouth. Each session combines creativity with mindfulness, offering a simple way to relax, connect with others, and boost your wellbeing.

In the video, Peggy gives us a glimpse of the friendly atmosphere as she arrives at Burgess Hall, sharing a laugh with Emma, who doesn’t really like to be on camera. It’s a reminder that the sessions are about community and fun, as much as they are about art.

Join Us

So, if you’re searching for art classes in Plymouth city centre, or a relaxed and creative form of free mental health support in Plymouth, why not come along? With this short video, finding Burgess Hall couldn’t be easier.

Like and Subscribe!

Our YouTube channel is new – this is only our second short video! Be sure to like and subscribe to our channel so you never miss an episode, and get ready to enjoy our fun tips and tools for managing anxiety with mindful art.

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NEW: Six Week Women’s Art Group


Did you know that inner calm is just a four minute walk away from Plymouth’s St Andrews Cross? Join us at the Unitarian Church hall, near Catherine Street, for our NEW women’s art group; a welcoming space to ease anxiety, slow down, and reconnect with yourself. Supported by Devon Community Foundation’s end VAWG fund.

Every Friday at 1.00pm, until 10th October 2025

Tap the link to find more upcoming, free, sessions.

Find Your Way to Mindful Art Club in Just 5 Minutes

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This Printable Autumn Colouring Page Creates Calm!

As the crisp air of autumn sets in and the leaves begin their colourful transformation, it’s the perfect time to immerse yourself in the calming practice of mindful art. Having a go at mindful art during this season offers a unique opportunity to enhance your mental wellbeing. The act of creating art mindfully allows you to focus on the present moment, reducing stress and anxiety while encouraging a deeper connection with yourself and the world around you.

Autumn, with its vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows, is an inspiring backdrop for creativity. As you create mindful art, you may experience a sense of calm, making it an ideal activity for nurturing mental health. The repetitive and rhythmic nature of colouring can be especially soothing, providing a meditative experience that quiets the mind and rejuvenates the spirit.

To help you begin this creative journey, we’re excited to offer a free autumn leaves colouring page. This downloadable resource invites you to explore the colours of the season while enjoying the therapeutic benefits of mindful art. Whether you’re an experienced artist or a beginner, this colouring page is a simple way to embrace the season’s serenity and enhance your mental wellness.

Download your free autumn leaves colouring page today and enjoy a calmer mind.

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HollysPomBoms

Messages of hope and acceptance, reminders to reach out and talk, and acts of kindness

After Holly took her own life in July 2018, her sister Anna wanted to do something to commemorate her birthday that felt joyful and fun. The sense of despair and sadness across Holly’s community was suffocating and we needed something positive to focus on and work towards. Holly was a very creative person, and often enjoyed crafting with her family, including making pompoms. So Anna came up with the idea of ‘pombombing’ public spaces in order to raise awareness of mental illness, and encouraged others to make pompoms and decorate somewhere for all to see. When it grew a little bigger than we thought it would, Holly’s friend Hettie got involved too, and now she can’t ever imagine not pombombing.

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Friends, families and colleagues rallied together and rose to the occasion. By the end of Holly’s birthday month, hundreds of people all over the world had made pompoms, pombombed somewhere or shared a photo. The colourful balls of love were catching strangers attention, encouraging them to reach out to ask for or offer help, starting conversations, sharing messages of hope and acceptance and most importantly of all, talking about Holly. ​

Why are we pombombing?​

We hope that the pompoms can bring an awareness of the fragility of life, be a conversation starter and a reminder that help can be sought and given. Prompting people to share their love, pain, grief and stories is a step towards breaking the stigma of mental illness, keeping memories alive and letting others know we care. Opening up to others can be an incredibly hard thing to do but there are always people who want to help and want to listen, whether it be a friend, family member or helpline. 

Mindful Art Club are pombombing for Mental Health Awareness Week 2025

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-week

Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 will take place from May 12 to May 18, focusing on the theme of community and the importance of supportive connections for mental health. This week aims to highlight how being part of a positive community can enhance well-being and provide a sense of belonging.

Read more: https://hollyspombombs.wixsite.com/hollyspombombs

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Addiction Recovery Art Exhibition

Mindful Art Club is to present an art exhibition at Leadworks, Plymouth, on display 21st – 27th February 2025. This event is free to attend and includes an opening night with entertainment and music on Friday 21st February, 7.00pm – 9.00pm. The artwork on display is a collection of pieces created by Mindful Art Club participants and is a culmination of an 18 month addiction recovery group project. It’s funded by the Peoples Health Trust.

Book your free place here: Art Exhibition 21st – 27th Feb 2025

In the News

A former drug dealer from Devonport, who took up mindful art while on probation, is to be featured in a Plymouth art exhibition, at Leadworks, supported by People’s Health Trust, writes the Plymouth Chronicle.

Read more: Plymouth Man’s Journey From Dealer to Artist in Upcoming Exhibition

Opening night

Friday February 21st at 7.00pm. The exhibition is on display for a week, until  February 27. at Leadworks, 170 Rendle Street, Stonehouse, PL1 1TP

Music and Entertainment

Host for the evening – Lee Squires, (poet, playwright, actor, artist, Romany gypsy.)

Poet – Peggy Pegworth (rhymes about narrowboats, addictions and failed love affairs.)

My Story – A Plymouth man, “James,” shares his journey from drug dealer to artist.

Acoustic guitar and vocals with Abi Bee

Poet – Gerry Jones (true tales of and recovery)

Poet – Gerry Featherstone

Peggy Pegworth
Lee Squires

Time to mingle – an invitation to browse the stalls and art exhibition.

Information stalls: Cocaine Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous.

Book Signing – Local author Paul Tristram. Poetry and fiction books, featuring themes of addiction and mental health struggles.

Market stall – Handmade jewellery, and Mindful Art Club merchandise!

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Plymouth Art Club’s Courageous Stories of Mental Health Recovery

  • What difficulties or challenges do our clients face?
  • What changes do we see in the participants’ journeys?
  • What kind of art projects do we make?
  • Do you need to be good at art to come to this club?

All these questions and more are answered in a new documentary. We Tell Your Story is a documentary series funded by the Plymouth Octopus Project, culminating in a major feature that premiered at Plymouth Arts Cinema on June 17, 2024. Directed by Drew Graves, this 36-minute film is a The Hundred Hands production, dedicated to highlighting Plymouth’s vibrant community stories.

The video production spanned two years and involved numerous local creators, from filmmakers to animators. Over 70 individuals were interviewed, capturing a diverse array of stories from across Plymouth. This initiative aims to elevate the profiles of various organisations through high-quality video formats, enabling them to reach new audiences.

The segment about Mindful Art Club CIC is about eight minutes long.

Watch now to find out:

  • Why is the peer support element of the group so important?
  • Why did Si Parnham (formerly of Colebrook SW) say it’s such an “inspiring” atmosphere?
  • How one woman found art club “accidentally” through The Sunflower Women’s Centre
  • And meet the gypsy artist made homeless when a rehab closed, and yet found  a way to express his “demons”.

Watch now and let us know what you think in the comments.

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Our Friday Art Group Has Moved

If you (or the people you work with) are free on Friday afternoons, we’d love you  to join us in our new venue, Burgess Hall, behind the Unitarian Church in Plymouth city centre. Each 90 minute session includes five minutes of guided mindfulness, five minutes of mindful drawing, a simple art project, and the opportunity to chat and relax. These sessions are funded by our Crowdfunder campaign, but if you want to donate, to help us continue delivering our service for longer, you can easily do so online. 

Book your free place now.

Burgess Hall is behind the Unitarian Church accessed from Catherine Street, (next to The Treasury bar and restaurant, on Royal Parade). The first session at the new place is at 1.00pm Friday 12th April 2024. 

As a reminder, we also offer these free mindful art groups:

Mondays 1.00pm Sunflower Women’s Centre

Tuesdays 2.00pm Sunflower Women’s Centre

Thursdays 12.00pm The London Inn, Plympton

Fridays 10.00am Addiction Recovery at Leadworks

Fridays 1.00pm Mindful Art Club at Burgess Hall

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New #MentalHealth Collaboration in #Plymouth

We are pleased to have been awarded funding from Plymouth Octopus Project to host a series of workshops at Moments Café, focusing on mental health and social isolation.

This project is a collaboration between Marbles Lost and Found CIC, Moments Café and Memory Matters Hub, and Mindful Art Club CIC. We aim to provide reliable, sensitive, and non-judgemental support to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and social isolation, and help people develop coping strategies for life’s challenges. Our project will give our participants the confidence, skills and support to improve their lives and be more connected to their community.

Moments Café, in New George Street, Plymouth, acts as a subconscious support network for a lot of people. The café attracts many people who are vulnerable, and they are supported through open conversations and a non-judgemental atmosphere. 

Grass roots organisations like ours are essential for bringing our community together with no waiting lists and without finances being a barrier. We will all continue with our workshops, but will share information, best practice, and sign-post beneficiaries to each other’s groups. All three organisations share the same goals, and by coming together we will learn new skills and share knowledge to be able to improve our services and reach more people.

Read more: Mindful Marbles at Moments

Join our mailing list to be first to hear about the launch of this exciting new project.

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Art Club Receives Funding Through the Health Lottery

A new mental health support group to help people struggling with, or recovering from, addiction is launching at Leadworks, in Stonehouse, near Plymouth city centre.

People’s Health Trust has invested in Mindful Art Club, using money raised by Health Lottery South West.

This money will be used to run a weekly art group that uses mindfulness, art, peer support and conversation to improve mental health and reduce social isolation. It follows on from a previous successful pilot project.

Emma Sprawson, director of Mindful Art Club, said: “We are very grateful for this funding which will help us to create a space which encourages connection and creativity.”

Starts: Friday October 6th 2023

Time: 10.00am – 11.30am

Location: Leadworks, 170 Rendle Street Stonehouse PL1 1TP

Even if you can’t decide whether you have a problem or not, you are welcome to come along. There is no art experience required! Friendly and informal. Just grab a coffee and join in.

Connect with others and discover new ways of practising self-care through easy art and mindfulness exercises. Practice being here in the present moment, and accept where you are right now, without self-judgement. We will also be inviting some inspiring guest speakers to the groups to talk about their experience of recovery.

To book a free place in this new mindful art group click here: Recovery Art Group.

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Mindful Art Club Reaches Crowdfunding Target

We’re so happy to announce that we have reached our target on our Crowdfunder; in fact we went over our target. We have raised £10,575 to keep running our mindful art mental health support group at Moments Café in Plymouth city centre.

We had an anonymous donor pledge £5000, and also Plymouth City Council pledged £3,500. This means we can keep offering free mental health support without a waiting list every Friday. Here’s what some of our art group members said about this news on Facebook:

“I really like this group. It means a lot to me. It feels like a safe space. The other people are very welcoming. I love the different art that we do. Emma and Peggy are always coming up with new ideas that can be done in the session.

I also like the format of the group where we have a weekly check in, then do some mindfulness grounding and then maybe some closed eye, mindful drawing, one of my faves. We also have a check out at the end too. I’ve made some good connections from coming to the group and for me it’s a lovely way to end my week. I’ve really missed it when it hasn’t been running.” – Art club member

“It’s given us as a family much needed social interaction, no longer so isolated feeling alone. To know there are others who can empathise, because I thought I must be truly alone in my experiences is very reassuring. Everyone has been so kind. Love the checking in and out, making time for everyone, enjoy the art projects and taking them home to reflect upon or expand, closed eye drawing is very interesting. We had a lovely time at the mindful retreat day too, it’s all been such a positive experience I’m very grateful to have been signposted to such a wonderful resource.” – Art club member

“Mindful Art Club is my anchor in the storms of life. I love everything about it and never regret going, even when I’m feeling rubbish. I always leave feeling better than when I arrived. It feeds my soul. Can’t wait till we start again in September!” – Art club member

Thank You

We just want to give a big shout-out to thank everyone who donated over the last five weeks, it’s been an absolutely amazing response. And with more donations we could continue to run our weekly group for even longer, providing an ongoing safe space for people to access support.

Donate to our Crowdfunder here.

Book your place at the Friday afternoon art group here.

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