Since 2020 we have been working in collaboration with colleagues across CUH to develop a Creative Wellbeing programme that supports staff to relax, switch off from the pressures of work in their downtime, and to interact with one-another to build a sense of community through creativity.
This includes online and in-person workshops and activities, online and paper resources, and social forums to talk about hobbies, interests and creative self-care.
The programme includes a range of art forms, with creative writing for wellbeing being a popular choice through the summer of 2021. We collaborated with Ruth Cocksedge from local charity Arts and Minds (opens in a new tab) to host an online writing for wellbeing series for our workforce, each session of which introduced new writing methods from journaling to specific forms of poetry. We hold regular opportunities for staff to share their creativity, through staff exhibitions and by taking part in artist residencies such as the campus project The Dark Heals (opens in a new tab) with musician Andrea Cockerton.
The process of writing has provided expression to the covid experience and also most importantly given a channel for the germination of future hopes and dreams - life will go on, 'this too shall pass', even though the here and now feels pretty hopeless on occasion.”
Writing for Wellbeing workshop series participant feedback
As well as the online workshops, we like to get hands-on when we can, bringing creative activities to clinical and staff environments to spark curiosity, conversation and imagination. A popular choice in this Pop-up Studio experience has been making Me Shells – a plaster cast of the inside of one’s fist – which represents all the things we hold but never see. This simple activity holds many levels of meaning for those participating and is a rare opportunity in our busy days to create something gently without any need for existing skills or experience.
Really relaxing thing to do in my lunch break, thanks!
Pop-up Studio participant
To alleviate anxiety and promote wellbeing for our staff during our Covid-19 vaccination clinics we commissioned bestselling author Hannah Jane Walker to develop a paper resource which gently guided the reader with creative prompts during their vaccination recovery time.
