Friday 8th July was our first co-design meeting with our art group participants and the research team, brainstorming what we’d like to measure and how to measure it.
We were given funding from the University of Plymouth’s Get Involved Awards to research and measure our impact. An Action Based Evaluation of Mindful Art Club (MAC) in Plymouth is being conducted by Dr Helen Lloyd, Emma Sprawson, and Peggy Melmoth, with two researchers; Abbie Scott and Rachel Mullee.
Are you already in recovery but want to connect with others?
Recovery Art Club is a free, weekly group at Moments Cafe in Plymouth city centre. The group is upstairs in the Arthur Read room and will be running for six months.
Starts: Tuesday 6th September 2022, 1.30pm – 3.00pm
Moments Café, 69a New George Street, Plymouth, PL1 1RJ
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 these groups, to talk about addiction and recovery.
The group is hosted by Emma Sprawson and Peggy Melmoth. They are the founders of Mindful Art Club, and have a background of working for many years in addiction treatment centres in Plymouth.
Places are free thanks to funding from an OPCC Community Grant from Devon Community Foundation, but booking is essential as we expect this group to be popular.
Mindful Art Session
We start with a brief chat about how everyone is feeling, then a short guided mindfulness session, followed by a simple art activity that anyone can do. Our mission is to make mindfulness more fun! We’re not teaching art techniques, we’re just here to play.
Places are limited, so if you cannot attend please let us know and we can offer your place to someone else. Book now.
Not ready for this group yet? Join our mailing list to hear about other free events.
Thanks to Livewell funding we have been running a Mindful Art Club in Plympton for three months.
We share images on our Facebook page each week, to show how the group is going. (We secure written permission from our service users before posting pictures to social media.)
“Finally! A place where you can truly be yourself, be heard and supported. I feel so included and seen and it has given me real confidence in life. I love the creativity, the chats, the laughs and just this feeling I am totally welcome. I really look forward to Thursday mornings”.
Plympton group participant
Our aim is to improve people’s wellbeing and mental health and reduce social isolation. We give people a space to share their feelings, learn different mindfulness techniques for self-care, be creative in a group, relax and chat. We supply all art materials and suggest a different art project each week.
“I really enjoy the mindful group. Meeting lovely likeminded people who don’t judge you. This group is helping me a lot.”
Plympton group participant
Since the project started in April we have served 14 beneficiaries, who attend regularly. We have hosted a group every week, except for the Jubilee bank holiday Thursday.
“The mindful body scan and tongue drum really helped me focus on my breathing and my body. It really relaxed me and made me feel calmer.”
Plympton group participant
We have collected written and verbal feedback to measure how we have reduced social isolation, built self-esteem, and improved mental health. We collect comments in a comments and suggestion book.
We also evaluated our client’s wellbeing at the beginning of the project using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS).
Si Parnham works for Heads Count at Colebrook SW, a user led network for people who access mental health services, carers and everyone with experience of or affected by mental health matters in and around the city of Plymouth. Visiting our Plympton group he said,
“A room full of joy, and people feeling safe and comfortable to talk about how their lives are. Really worthwhile visit and an excellent community lead group.”
Are you interested in reducing stress and boosting mental health?
You’re going to love our six week course!
Doodle Your Recovery is a six week mindful art course that boosts mental health and reduces social isolation, or bonds existing teams together. The offer includes two facilitators and all art materials. We have previously provided this course to organisations such as Devon Recovery Learning Community, Devon Mind, Positive People Pluss and The Sunflower Women’s Centre.
After the lockdown I felt very isolated and found it difficult to relate to others. Coming to Mindful Art Club has helped me feel reconnected with others.
Course participant
Contact us today to discuss whether this would be a good fit for your organisation.
The retreat takes place in the picturesque village of Plympton St Maurice, near Plymouth, in South Devon. Outdoor activities are held in public green spaces; lunch is served in the local Guildhall. Most of the event is outdoors but can be moved to our indoor venue in the case of rain.
Includes coffees, teas and lunch of crusty bread, homemade cakes and a selection of cheeses, houmous, olives and fruit.
We still have some places left on our mindful art one day retreat on Sunday 3rd July 2022.
I really benefitted from the retreat. Like I said at the end, the variety and balance in the design was spot on. The group’s size also meant it felt really comfortable to share more honestly and openly. I really noticed that once one person revealed something difficult they were experiencing, it automatically gave permission for others to do the same… then that ripple effect builds trust and authenticity in the group. There’s so much power in that.
I wanted to thank you particularly for being great leaders – you are both disarming and so accessible and let the group take a natural path of development. I never felt rushed or pressured.
The day made me think about that Marianne Williamson quote… “As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence actually liberates others.”
Lorna (Retreat Participant, 2021)
In this video Peggy asked George, Joanna and Jennie what they thought of our small mindful art retreat, in July 2020.
Lee and Emma are looking forward to offering a zen doodles workshop at Plymouth Wellness Fair on 18th June 2022. Come along and join in with this free mindful art session to see for yourself how it can really lift your mood. There is no artistic talent required!
You can also hear special guest experts deliver presentations, speak to wellbeing champions and explore the range of stallholders for all things wellness and wellbeing. This is an event for anyone looking to make positive changes to their lives. If you have any questions about mindful art you can chat to Lee and Emma on our stall.
Founder of the Pillars of Wellness and Wellbeing CIC, Lauren Packham, says,
“So many of us have struggled over the last couple of years, and if you work and have children, you will feel this more than most. Mental health services are at breaking point, and if you work chances are you are ‘not sick enough’ to get help, or you are on an extremely long waiting list. But there are many things we can do to help ourselves, and coming to this event could provide you with a valuable piece of information that could really help you and your wellbeing.”
Free tickets are available for those on a low income. £3 (+34p booking fee) to book in advance. Pre-booked ticket holders will be entered into a prize draw. Those who come via public transport or walk will receive an additional prize draw entry, Lunch is included for the first 50 people who book a donation/paid ticket.
Would you like to try mindfulness in your workplace?
Want your staff to feel valued and listened to?
Want to increase staff productivity and reduce sick leave?
We offer groups on line, one-off sample sessions, and a six week staff wellbeing programme. We also offer an outdoor mindful art retreat as a staff away day.
On 12th May 2022, for Mental Health Awareness Week we hosted a zoom session for NHS staff from Derriford Hospital, Plymouth.
I really enjoyed the session, and am feeling very relaxed and creative. I will definitely use this drawing technique in the future. I will also try to take more time out to try and relax, and release tension. Brilliant guidance.
Lisa, NHS staff, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth.
Mental health difficulties are the biggest cause of sickness absence in this country (Health and Sickness Executive, 2018). So poor mental health costs employers money. Anxiety and depression are the most common mental health problems. But major changes or challenges in life, such as bereavement, relationship problems, having a baby, debt or a workplace restructure may also affect mental health.
“The Mindful Art Club was a great session that I enjoyed participating in. The first five minutes of meditation and breathing exercises were great for me. I could feel all my worries and stresses leaving my body if only for those five minutes.”
Gary Furzeland from Clinical Engineering, and one of the hospital’s People Wellbeing Champions
Fantastic session thank you. Am feeling super chilled.
Jen, NHS staff, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth.
If you’d like to offer mindful art to your team contact us today!
I woke up one morning feeling very disconnected from life. I looked at my emails and found Emma’s recording of the five steps of mindfulness. After playing it I felt much better and able to do things with the day.
Mindful Art Club participant
This guided mindfulness recording features Emma Sprawson, (voiceover) and Lee Squires playing the tongue drum, a steel instrument with a soft meditative sound quality.
On Tuesday 10th May 2022 at 2.00pm we will be talking about our art club at Marbles Lost and Found support group at Moments Cafe and Memories Matter Hub in New George Street, Plymouth. Come along for a friendly chat about how to boost your mental health.
Marbles Support group is so different then any other support group out there! Founder, Nicky Nurrish says,
“It not only gives you mental health support, awareness and wellbeing tips and tools, you will also meet and make friends with fellow warriors, meet experts in the field of mental health, in a non judgemental, safe space where you are listened to and heard. Each month we have a guest speaker join us to tell us and show us what support they offer, what they do and more and this upcoming group session we have the wonderful Mindful Art Club coming in to work with us. Remember if you are nervous about attending don’t be, it’s a warm and friendly environment, I can meet you beforehand. The group is a mix of disorders, mental health issues.. we have mix and mingle time, group check in time, marble news and upcoming events, guest speaker, break (with free cake and drinkies) and last part of the session we discuss together what we want to do as a group to help each other and plan a social event together. So come join us for what’s going to be a educational, supportive and most of all fun session, we are more than our mental illness remember.”
