23.10.2023
Here we are, in Autumn.…time to get cosy in your favourite knitwear, although, with the Indian Summer we’ve been having, it’s hard to know what to wear! Even so, the natural closing in that comes with this time of year can feel unsettling for many people, affecting mood, energy and wellbeing. This is when having community around us is so important, because being connected with others and belonging feels good. At People Express, they have been thinking about communities and what they need to do to create spaces where people know that they are valued and are free to express their creativity. In this issue, people express are focusing on inclusion, and what it means to us through the experiences of the many different people we work with.
The People Express talks about ‘diversity’, ‘inclusivity’ and ‘tackling prejudice’ a lot in their work, but those words don’t always mean anything to the communities they work with. Sometimes, people are not aware that they are experiencing or have experienced discrimination. So, the people express have created a living-changing booklet based on the lived experiences of the groups they work with, showing how they have shaped the work they do and helped them to be increasingly inclusive, welcoming and representative. The peoples express are inviting everyone that they work with to read their values, challenge them, and add to them so that they can keep improving. Click below to read the booklet.
The SNUG project is about finding comfort in things that people take for granted, initiated by how people experienced the pandemic, and then coming out of it. Blankets became the starting point of this exploration, as they are a comfort object; an aid that is beneficial for psychological health after a trauma. The Swadlincote Asperger’s Society (SAS) group of adult artists have created digital printed fabric from personal objects and memories, using filter apps to distort the original image. They have been working with multidisciplinary artist, Ashok Mistry, who identifies as neurodivergent, and disabled artist, Laura Guthrie, to explore self-identity.
Based in Newhall and Alrewas, the Creative Minds group is for people living with dementia and their carers, family and friends. The groups are self run, supported by People Express. They have just come to the end of a series of taster workshops with each group which included mosaic, fused glass, ceramic and music workshops. Over a series of weeks, Creative minds slowly start to understand participant’s barriers together, and co-design a project that is welcoming and fun for everyone, enabling them to create beautiful artworks.
New fortnightly dementia friendly creative sessions in Newhall start on Monday 6th November. If you or anyone you know would be interested in attending contact our Programmes Manager Kalila- kalila.storey@people-express.org.uk or 07739 088066.
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