COLLECTIViSM
#15, September 2024
CONTENTS
#15, September 2024
Kate Penman
Editorial
Tom Hayden
Reflections on Recovery
Charlotte Webb
Art for Recovery
Kate Penman
Gone but not Forgotten
Henok Eshetu
Journey to Recovery
Chris Cole
The Power of Lived Experience
Victoria Mosedale
A New Life with LEAP
Sally Rowley
Sally and the Amazing Feedback
Christiane Jenkins
The Importance of Opportunity for All…
Kacey McCann
Healing and Connection Through Art
Image (Opposite Page): 'Work in progress’ by Henok Eshetu, Pottery Workshop
Cover Image: ‘Recovery Hopes’ by Sally Rowley,
Geese Theatre Company
Out of Darkness Cometh Light
Wozza
Wozza’s Story…
Graham Everitt and John Price
MENTALk
Paul Berry
Danny’s Story a Different Person
Linda Turner and Warren
What is SMART Recovery?
Steve Coldrick
Watermelon Peace
Darryl Georgiou
The Image Always Has the Last Word
Kate Penman
Recovery Needs Everyone
Image: 'Self Portrait’ by Matt Lay, Portraiture Workshop
EDITORiAL
COLLECTIViSM cont.. Edition 15
Welcome to Edition 15 of Collectivism dedicated to Recovery Month 2024. The goal of Recovery Month is to raise awareness, challenge stigma and celebrate the achievements of those in recovery from substance misuse and addiction. We have also widened the remit to look at journeys of recovery from the trauma of homelessness and mental health issues.
To celebrate Recovery Month, The Good Shepherd has partnered with SUIT, Recovery Near You, Wolverhampton 360, University of Wolverhampton, G5 studio, Creative Black Country, Newhampton Arts Centre and Wolverhampton Art Gallery. It has been a delight to work alongside partners who are so passionate about recovery and the role that the arts can play as an integral part of people’s journeys. We are all excited to be holding a large-scale multi-media exhibition at the Newhampton Arts Centre (NAC) and are also taking over Wolverhampton Art Gallery in an extra special late-night opening.
This magazine and the exhibitions have been made possible by Arts Council England. With the successful application
COLLECTIViSM
EDITORS: KATE PENMAN & ANNA BICKLEY
DESIGN: JULIAN GWINNETT
we have been able to fund workshops with professional artists in illustration, mixed media, ceramics, portraiture, spoken word and A.I. We have also been able to run workshops with families impacted by addiction. The funding has allowed us to creatively document the project through film and podcasts, and share hidden stories from the most courageous of service users and volunteers.
This edition of Collectivism features articles written by those who are either in recovery themselves or are working alongside people in recovery. Similarly, all photography and illustration are by those in recovery or by creative practitioners in the field of recovery. The lived experience and insight around the issues of addiction and recovery are informative, inspirational and act as an encouragement to others who have not yet embarked on the journey to recovery. We are grateful to all who have shared their testimonies and artwork with us. It has been a privilege to work on this edition and indeed, 'Recovery is For Everyone: Every Person, Every Family, Every Community'.
PHOTOGRAPHY: NELSON DOUGLAS, DARRYL GEORGIOU & STUART MANLEY
REFLECTIONS ON RECOV
Tom Hayden: CEO of The Good Shepherd
“ Stigma around addiction remains a massive problem and can lead to people hiding their issues and not getting the help they need and deserve. ”
Our mission at the Good Shepherd is to end homelessness, support recovery, and create pathways out of poverty. We’re extremely passionate about creating environments where people can flourish and supporting the things that help people to recover.
As an organisation we can trace our roots back to the 1500s in Granada and the work of St John of God, a 16th century saint who inspired a legacy of hospitality, compassion, and respect across the world. John’s work started in Granada, Spain after he spent time in a mental institution and experienced terrible treatment at the hands of people who were meant to care for him. When he left hospital, he dedicated his life to helping the most disadvantaged people in Granada, providing care for people who were sick and living in poverty.
The story of Saint John of God has always inspired me for many reasons, but one of the beautiful things about his story that we see reflected in our work today is the element of mutual aid and peer support. For me, people who have recovered going on to support other people still struggling is one of the most powerful elements of recovery. It’s so incredible and we see the impact daily in Wolverhampton with lived experience recovery organisations like the Service User Involvement Team (SUIT) and Good Shepherd’s Lived Experience into Action Project (LEAP) team.
I visited one of the art workshops at the NAC to see how the Recovery project was going. As soon as I walked through the door, I could feel the buzz of excitement and creativity bubbling away in the room. The room was full and there were people
ERY
from all walks of life together with the sole uniting factor - their personal recovery journeys. People were working away on their individual projects and giving feedback and advice to their fellow artists. There was laughter, enthusiasm, and some hilariously inappropriate names for the artwork!
A lot of progress has been made in recent years around destigmatising mental health, but there remains a huge amount of stigma particularly for some groups of individuals. Stigma around addiction remains a massive problem and can lead to people hiding their issues and not getting the help they need and deserve.
I’m fortunate to know a lot of people’s personal stories in that room and it was amazing to see so many people in recovery working together and expressing themselves through art and showing their strengths and personalities through creativity.
Recovery month is a time to shine a light on what it means to recover, to recognise the strengths and bravery of people who are in recovery, and to inspire and share
the message of hope for people who are still suffering. This project is a celebration of recovery and I hope you manage to join us and see the outstanding work that has been put together.
I’d like to thank everyone that attended the workshops and created the art, SUIT and their amazing team, all the artists involved, Recovery Near You, Wolverhampton University, Newhampton Arts Centre, Creative Black Country, and finally the Arts Council for funding this project. A special thank you to Kate Penman who has been a driving force behind this exhibition and who inspires me daily with her passion and enthusiasm for recovery.
Over the years we’ve been fortunate to have guidance and support from Chris Manley, an inspirational man and a wonderful artist. He passed away during the production of this exhibition, but his presence and influence are still felt at the Good Shepherd and in the work of the art group. On behalf of everyone that he supported and inspired at the Good Shepherd a heartfelt thank you for everything that you did.
ART FOR RECOVERY
Charlotte Webb, Muralist, Illustrator, and Creative Facilitator
Since the last recovery exhibition in September 2022, I have completed my undergraduate degree, BA (Hons) Illustration, achieving a first-class with honours, and have progressed on to studying an MA in Digital & Visual Communications. I also finally passed my driving test, but more importantly, I celebrated six years in recovery from alcohol dependency.
I have never looked back, and as each year unfolds, I look for opportunities to grow as a professional artist, and as a human being. During the past two years I have forged a path that allows me to live comfortably whilst waking each day looking forward to the hours ahead. I thrive on having new projects and meeting new people. Working with clients to develop mural artwork is a fantastic way to keep the creative juices flowing. However, nothing brings me greater joy than sharing my skills and knowledge with others and helping them to succeed with their own creative projects.
I have worked with businesses and members of the community on various projects, but when Kate Penman reached out to me about the Arts Council funding the Good Shepherd had secured, and the opportunity to work with the Good Shepherd and SUIT again, I was extremely excited!
I knew that I would be delivering these workshops with lived experience under my belt, and so it was important for me to create a programme that would help the participants to connect with my practice and see how it has helped me with my own recovery. Narrative is the essence of my work, and this echoes the way I live my life now – writing a new narrative for myself.
Each workshop in the series focused on recognising personal qualities, strengths, and passions, and were designed to help participants visually communicate these elements, showcasing the wonderful human beings behind the often-negative portrayal of those in recovery.
For the opening session participants had to think about symbolism, and how this could translate into a surface repeat pattern. Symbolism can mean many things, but for this group we were looking at symbols that mean something to them. There was such a diverse range of outcomes, with participants looking at elements such as religion, football clubs, and hobbies, as well as addiction and recovery itself.
The second week participants looked at spirit animals, and animals that had qualities or characteristics that stood out. From there participants identified animals
that felt representative of them in some way, and visually responded to this through their chosen medium. A couple of people were torn between two or more animals and so we had some excellent hybrids too!
Week three focussed on activism through art, Artivism. Participants discussed themes that they were passionate about as they prepared to design and create posters that would communicate to a wider audience in the hope of raising awareness about their cause. There were some very personal and hard-hitting responses amongst the outcomes, and you could feel the burning desire to be heard.
The final workshop was more light-hearted, as participants looked at some photos of buildings in the city centre that are unoccupied and unused. The objective
was to read the buildings and decide what they would like to see them used for in the future – what would be good for Wolverhampton and its residents. Again, we had some excellent ideas, with a personal favourite of turning the old court building on Queen Street into a multi functioning venue for murder mysteries, escape rooms, and other experiences.
I had such a wonderful time working with some awesome people who I felt truly connected to, and I was truly sad when our workshops ended. But I’m looking forward to the exhibition and can’t wait to see the responses in their completed artwork.
Image: ‘Illustration Workshop’ by Stuart Manley
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Kate Penman
For six years the Good Shepherd has had the privilege of working on a variety of projects with established artist and photographer, Chris Manley. Chris was a much-loved volunteer, a person who touched the hearts of our clients and our staff. Sadly, Chris passed away in March 2024 after battling cancer, but his memory lives on with us all here at The Good Shepherd, staff and clients alike.
I remember first meeting Chris when we were running our rough sleepers’ art group at Base 25. He was instantly at ease and in chatty mode with all our clients. He did some beautiful portraits of our clients for them to keep, and it meant the world to them. Chris was honouring them through his own creativity, as he was an excellent portrait artist.
Chris was passionate about the power of art in people’s recovery journeys and how creativity could transform lives and improve people’s self-worth. He was also an ideas man and loved our clients coming to him with ideas that he could help make happen and always would, no matter how leftfield. During the latter part of the pandemic, we could hold small groups, but an exhibition was out of the question. Chris wasn’t
going to be deterred by a pandemic. He produced a beautiful book and film of our clients’ photography called Discarded, both a reflection on objects discarded and the stigma around discarded people in society’s eyes i.e. those impacted by homelessness, addiction and mental health issues.
Chris was a constant in the lives of people who did not have that encouraging constant in their lives and he genuinely valued all our clients' inputs. He worked on three large scale multi-disciplinary exhibitions and was just a superhuman. He knew the benefits of art for those on the road to recovery and wanted to raise people’s expectations of themselves and help nurture talents and stories. We will be dedicating the upcoming Recovery film and this magazine to Chris, as our final goodbye to a man much loved and lauded. We will cherish a friendship that changed our lives for the better and a friendship that shaped a lot of people’s lives in recovery. Rest in peace, Chris.
Image: ‘Chris Manley’ by Stuart Manley
Image: ‘Henok’ by Chris Manley
JOURNEY TO RECOVERY
Henok Eshetu
I left Ethiopia in 2012 because of the war. I had already been imprisoned twice and was considered a troublemaker for speaking out against our government. The government doesn’t like people to have their own political opinions. There is no freedom of speech, it is a dictatorship.
The first time I was imprisoned there were forty of us in a tiny room. It felt like a slow emotional death in that room. The second time the officials came and took me from my home without even a judge’s letter. They sent me to a prison far away where it was slave labour.
I knew that I was looking at death in the prison or possible death if I tried to escape. I chose to escape with a few of my friends. I could hear the gunshots as we ran towards freedom and have never looked back. Life’s journey makes you into a fighter. And it’s a miracle that I’m here.
I arrived in England in 2015. I didn’t speak English, so I went to college to learn. The Home Office made me homeless in 2019 after my claim was refused. It was the wrong decision and my worst time in England. My English was basic, and I was lost. Homelessness is scary and you feel like there is no future. You give up on life and you just don’t care about anything.
One day I was in town, tired, homeless and hungry. I had to ask a stranger if he had any money or could buy me food, instead he showed me where The Good Shepherd was. I went there and met Br. Stephen. I had a big bowl of soup, and it was so delicious. I went back the next day, and they introduced me to Kate who introduced me to Hope Project and Wolverhampton City of Sanctuary. From that day I knew my life was in safe hands. When I moved into a Hope into Action house, I felt safe and had hope again.
With the help of The Good Shepherd, City of Sanctuary and Hope into Action my life changed, and that change began with the Good Shepherd. Finally, my asylum claim was accepted, and I was granted Leave to Remain. I have decided to stay in Wolverhampton because of all the support I have received. The Good Shepherd is my family now, I will never struggle again. At the Good Shepherd I now do the Emotions Group alongside the Recovery Art Group. When I was depressed, the Recovery Art Group really helped me. It is like a team, everyone’s friendly and accepting and that’s why I love my art group friends.
There are many chapters in my life. This story is just a small highlight. I am in my best chapter now and excited for the future.
THE POWER OF
L i VED EXPER i ENCE
Chris Cole
I am the service manager at Good Shepherd and the project manager for LEAP (Lived Experience into Action Project). LEAP provides volunteers with a bespoke programme of support for people experiencing homelessness in Wolverhampton and take advantage of training opportunities to develop their own skills with the aim of gaining a career within the health and social care sector.
LEAP, an initial five-year project funded by the Oak Foundation offers training and volunteer placements for people with lived experience of homelessness, addiction, mental health, criminal justice system or other issues to become “peer navigators” who can provide support for people to maintain their properties and prevent homelessness within Wolverhampton.
Peer navigators work as part of the LEAP team preventing homelessness by helping with housing applications, signposting, debt and benefits support, home visits, access to drug and alcohol treatment, wellbeing checks, forums, group work sessions and getting involved in local and national events. As part of the LEAP volunteer programme all volunteers will have an opportunity to access an Adult Health and Social Care Level 3 diploma and other role-related training along the way.
For me the biggest part of the LEAP volunteer programme is watching the team grow both in their recovery and in their professional development. The LEAP team really do go from strength to strength during their time with us and I feel part of that is encouraging the team to play to their strengths and try new things. Recently two LEAP volunteers have gone onto paid employment with The Good Shepherd through the patronage of Robert Plant.
I have heard over the years that art can be a great tool to help those in recovery grow and truly express themselves. Well, this year I have witnessed this first hand! Good Shepherd have been providing arts sessions as part of the arts council funding in partnership with SUIT and Recovery Near You. I attended the first workshop and have to say I was blown away. The artist shared her lived experience of alcohol addiction; it was so inspiring. It was great to see the power of lived experience helping those along their journey and inspiring change for the better. We are indeed experts by experience!
A NEW L i FE W i TH LEAP
Victoria Mosedale
My journey to recovery began nine years ago. I had been a drug and alcohol user for fifteen years. During this time I went through some really dark times. I suffered with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and bereavement. I also self-harmed and made several attempts to end my life. I started writing poetry to help with my recovery and joined a writing group through my church. I enjoy being creative and getting my thoughts and feelings written down. It really helps me to heal from the things of my past. The poem EARTH was a project I worked on last year which was selected for a poetry collection published earlier this year. It was a big achievement for me to see my work in a poetry book. The next step is to be able to perform my work and share my experiences, so I am looking forward to the spoken word sessions at Newhampton Arts Centre.
As part of my recovery journey, I joined the LEAP project at the Good Shepherd in September 2023. Since joining LEAP my life has completely changed. My confidence has grown, I have become part of a team and made some good friends. It is so important in recovery to have good friends. LEAP also gave me the opportunity to
apply for a job at the Good Shepherd as a Trainee Key Worker. I got the job and am really excited about the future. I am looking forward to starting my new job and the challenges it will offer, but most importantly I want to help and support our service users.
I really love and appreciate LEAP. It has changed my life immeasurably. It has taken my personal experiences of alcohol and drug use and mental health issues from being something to be ashamed of to something of real value. I have insight and empathy for the Good Shepherd service users. LEAP also gives people like me with lived experience the opportunity to get qualifications, go on training courses and subsequently the chance of a worthwhile career. That is something I did not think would happen to someone like me with my history.
It proves no one is unreachable and anyone can change their life.
Earth Mother Earth moans and groans, each country throwing stones. Forest fires polluting the air, all we want is fresher air. Cars and airplanes do all the same, causing Mother Earth so much pain. This is our planet that we all should love, as Mother Earth screams "Enough is enough"
Once our planet goes up in smoke, people will know this is no joke. Act now and take care of this beautiful planet that we all share.
Poem: ‘Earth’ by Victoria Mosedale Image: ‘Earth’ by Anna Bickley #17
SALLY AND THE AMAZ i NG FEEDBACK
Sally Rowley
Wow! Wow! Wow! What an amazing opportunity we’ve been given with this art project! Kate Penman’s choice of artists for this programme has been diverse, inspiring, challenging and exciting. Each artist has not only specialised in a different medium but also in their approach to art.
These art groups have allowed us a safe space to firstly enjoy making art but also to push us out of our comfort zones, encouraging us to express and explore ourselves and our emotions surrounding addiction and recovery in ways that talking often cannot do. It has changed my recovery journey and allowed me to process and heal. The project has also allowed us to form a connection with others in the group which has been deep and empowering.
We have all grown to support each other, enjoy a shared sense of purpose and pleasure which has allowed us all to blossom and grow, which has been amazing to experience but even more rewarding to witness in others. Each artist Kate has chosen for this project has been truly inspired. Each one bringing their own unique approach to their chosen medium.
We started the project with the brilliant illustrator Charlotte Webb, who was the perfect introduction to the group. Her own personal journey made her instantly relatable which helped make my anxiety melt away with each session. Charlotte’s contagious enthusiasm, genuine interest and encouragement brought the best out of us. She was honestly the best choice to kick off this whole journey, allowing each artist that came after to build and grow our curiosity and confidence to express ourselves using art in ways that we have never experienced before.
Each artist has left a lasting impression which will stay with us always. From Hannah Boyd McKee’s totally unique and fun mark making to Jane Plowright’s Eco project and all in between! Each one has sparked creativity and imagination in each of us, they have built up our self-esteem and provided a positive outlet for self-discovery and personal growth. I feel so lucky to have been given the opportunity to experience all of these art groups. I just wish they didn’t have to end!
THE IMPORTANCE OF OPPORTUN i TY FOR ALL IN RECOVERY
Christiane Jenkins, SUIT
My role as Creative Arts & Research Lead with SUIT (Service User Involvement Team) has opened opportunity to people traditionally sidelined from society by promoting the creative arts as an uncensored and free practice. Art provides a pure freedom of expression that people with complex experiences can embrace as a non-verbal form of communication. Our unique service now encapsulates a new energy; one that embraces art and drama, and a progressive and powerful new attitude. My mission, alongside the contributions of volunteers in my creative outreach team, opens opportunity to vulnerable people that they would never have received otherwise.
Collaborative projects such as the Good Shepherd Arts Council Project, Collectivism, and the work that SUIT has delivered alongside Arts & Homelessness, Asylum Artist Quarter, and the Geese Theatre, has provided clients access to spaces that have been previously unavailable to them − artistic spaces that to some, are considered elite. Working in these spaces resists the power balance, and the co-creation of projects shows that we have a voice, and a place in society, and we are deserving of recognition. The opportunities that SUIT seek out for clients & volunteers enables and empowers
individual experience, whilst strengthening recovery.
At SUIT, we are always looking to impact, develop and raise awareness of our service and the people that engage with it; there are still organisations in the community that are not aware of the diversity and reach of our support. Many of our clients and volunteers are marginalised and stigmatised due to the social and personal problems associated with addiction, and getting their voice involved is core to our values of lived experience. Our team at SUIT understand that people exposed to addiction come with an extra, often creative, sensitivity. We feel everything because we have blocked so much out. Creative people can suffer quite a lot in that respect.
Concentrating the complexities of addiction and recovery into art, spoken word, and drama, can release the frustration and create some beautiful things. It changes perceptions, and resists stigma and judgement.
SUIT was founded in 2007 to provide advocacy and support for people experiencing stigma and complex vulnerabilities from challenges surrounding substance use. SUIT has since become
“ I always knew I had a creative side, but I never knew how to flourish and bring it out. I would keep the creative blocks inside my brain, but my brain wants me to create. My brain is so creative it does not know how to create. I can’t put it into words, it is hard to explain but I know that the more time I spend with SUIT doing the activities they offer me, I know that it's unlocking my potential more and more. ”
Destii, SUIT client
a platform service for some of the most vulnerable people in Wolverhampton. SUIT deliver holistic measures of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation, both through the criminal justice system and within the community, and we believe that vulnerable people with drug and alcohol problems should be treated fairly, have access to services that focus on recovery, and should be able to engage with service providers that will support them individually.
In early 2024, we became recognised as a LERO (Lived Experience Recovery Organisation), encouraged by the government to use our lived experience. This now means that SUIT is nationally recognised and connects with other similar organisations creating peer led support. This has opened a variety of new pathways for lived experience co-creation and our services strength and development. Our volunteers and staff all come with lived experience and work to reduce barriers between clients accessing healthcare, welfare, employment, in criminal justice settings, and in areas considered inaccessible to people on the sharp end of society.
Right now, is the most exciting time in SUIT's 17- year history. Early this year, we received funding for core staff, including my position as Creative Arts & Research Lead, a Punjabi-Speaking Project Worker, and a Polish-Speaking Project Worker. Support and engagement is increasing within South Asian and Eastern European communities in Wolverhampton, and we now have the resources to tackle this important unmet need. Our increased outreach provision and exciting creative projects should bring a unique focus and more referrals into the service.
We also have a new Data Illustrator role, which is allowing us to provide robust evidence for peer led support. For the first time since our service began, our lived experience is not just anecdotal but is being brought to factual real life. Our team is proving its value, passion, and dedication to a wider audience, and with deeper meaning, and we are now living and breathing our own air; giving clients a powerful voice and the opportunity to resurrect their lives with buddy support from a team who have lived that lifestyle and climbed over the other side.
Image: ‘Chapel Ash at Night’ by Matt Lloyd
HEAL i NG THROUGH ART
Kacey McCann
Wolverhampton 360 is dedicated to empowering young people and their families, offering them the chance to lead fulfilling lives free from the negative impacts of drug and alcohol use. The young people who access this service are struggling with substance use themselves or are affected by a loved one’s misuse. In collaboration with the Good Shepherd, Wolverhampton 360 has provided these individuals with a powerful means of expression, healing, and connection through art, helping them to reclaim their potential and build a brighter future.
Every Monday, our young people have gathered at the Newhampton Arts Centre to discover their artistic talents, build connections and self-esteem. During our first session, one child sat as an artist while another posed as the model. The artist had 2-3 minutes to capture the essence of the model before moving down the line to draw the next person. This continued until every child had the chance to both draw and be drawn, resulting in a diverse collection of portraits. These works were then displayed on large boards for everyone to admire.
Collaborative art projects improve communication and conflict-resolution abilities in young people. These skills are crucial to young people engaging in substance use who are more likely
AND CONNECT iON
to experience social withdrawal and difficulties in forming and maintaining healthy peer relationships. Research indicates that those living with a loved one using drugs and alcohol may avoid social interactions out of fear of judgment or embarrassment, which can further erode their self-esteem.
Research also shows that the simple act of creating and displaying art allows children to achieve a sense of accomplishment and pride in their work, which impacts their selfimage. This suggests that creative outlets can play a vital role in helping children rebuild their self-esteem and confidence and develop improved social skills.
I hope that these young people carry their practice of art into adulthood, preserving the social skills and self-esteem that this creative expression fosters as a shield against adversity. I hope that to them, art can be a lifelong source of strength and resilience, empowering them to navigate any challenges life may bring.
When you look at the artwork displayed in the exhibition in September, remember that the beauty of these young people’s work is not restricted to the artwork itself; it is the beauty of what the simple act of creating can build within them.
OUT OF DARKNESS COMETH LIGHT
Geese Theatre Company
Geese Theatre Company is a charity, based in Birmingham, that works nationwide in criminal justice and social welfare settings. In January and February 2024, they delivered a project at Wolverhampton Art Gallery which culminated in a performance, Out of Darkness Cometh Light which premiered at Newhampton Arts Centre.
This project is part of four-year funding from the Arts Council England enabling Geese to deliver projects in HMP Oakwood, work with artists from Wolverhampton interested in criminal justice work and work in the community with people who have experience of the criminal justice system.
Andy Watson, Geese’s Artistic Director and the company’s lead practitioner on Out of Darkness Cometh Light said, “The welcome and support we have had from the Wolverhampton community has been phenomenal. For the community project we worked in partnership with SUIT who provided amazing levels of pastoral support to the group. We also must acknowledge the team at the Good Shepherd for their support, all the staff at the Art Gallery, the team at Newhampton Arts Centre and everyone in the audience who attended
the final performance. Our work is about using theatre and drama to provide hope, to offer opportunities for change and growth and to enable people who might traditionally feel marginalised or excluded to have a voice and a space to be heard. We are delighted that this project has been so successful and well received and excited to think about how we harness the momentum and deliver future projects in the Wolverhampton area.”
Two of our LEAP volunteers, Steve and Akram, took part in the project and production. Although a little apprehensive at first both Steve and Akram knocked it out of the park with a packed theatre looking on. Speaking to Akram it was clear that the whole experience had been life changing. “I surprised myself. After Andy and Becky made it a safe environment through the games we played, we all really bonded. We
created a family with the other cast members and our shared life experiences. It brought us together and created an unbreakable bond. It gave me geesebumps!
We decided to do a play about the reality of addiction, prison and recovery. Over four intense weeks of rehearsals we created our own material for a production to be performed at the NAC. The production wasn’t a fiction, it was based on all our true stories. It touched people massively with many theatregoers reaching for their tissues. It gave such an insight into addiction, from multiple perspectives.
Geese Theatre taught me awareness and gave me confidence. It really surprised me how easy it was to create bonds with relative strangers. The cast all had experience of the criminal justice system, so we had something in common but by the end of the rehearsals and the production we had become like family. I can’t put it into words but I’m grateful for the
opportunity. I would encourage anyone to do the Geese Theatre. It is life changing.”
Steve has also become an ardent fan of Geese Theatre and gratefully acknowledges the impact that it had on him. “My experience with the Geese Theatre has been a once in a lifetime experience which has helped me heal and to find peace within myself. I am not alone. Many of us share experiences that have been difficult to understand and hard to forgive. I am very grateful for the opportunity provided to me. I believe this has made me a better person.”
If you:
work in criminal justice in the Wolverhampton area and would like to know more about the project or would like to refer someone who might benefit from being involved;
are an artist / criminal justice practitioner interested in learning more about delivering arts in criminal justice settings and are interested in receiving some free training from Geese;
want to be kept up-to-date on when the next public performance will take place;
please contact the company on info@geese.co.uk.
WOZZA’S STORY…
Wozza
I had a good childhood or so I thought. At 14, I was hanging out with a friend when his sister gave me weed to smoke and a drink called Thunderbird and I got slaughtered.
From that day on, I was always smoking weed and had a problem with the drink. I drank till I was comatose. By 18 I had become a career criminal. I was a prolific burglar. But I was also part of a social scene in Wolverhampton and getting well known even though I was drinking heavily.
At 18, someone offered me a pipe. I had no clue as to what it really was and unlike everything that everyone says, it is not an instant addiction. It took me a year to become an addict. After a year I realized I was spending more on crack then clothes.
The rave scene came, and I got heavily involved in that and for a small period of time I started to think that I’d found my new love in life – ecstasy. But I could never shake crack off. I started going in and out of prison on a regular basis.
I’d always get clean in prison but I could never abstain from crack when I got out. It had me, it had me in such a way that I couldn’t understand. It was addiction – telling yourself you didn’t want it then buying it straight after. I had become like a puppet on a string.
I had a couple of long term relationships and the culmination of one was my daughter born in 2005 and as hard as
I tried to stop for her I couldn’t do it. In 2021 I was working on building sites earning good money but still smoking. To this day I don’t know how I managed it.
In 2021 I was involved in a serious affray. I ended up at Queen Elizabeth hospital – but even when I came out of hospital I went into a really dark place and smoked more than ever.
In 2023 I had a seizure and as I lay on the floor looking up, I had a moment that changed my life. It would be the start of my abstinence from all drugs. I sought help from Penn Hospital who signposted me to Recovery Near You and Aquarius who put me in touch with SUIT. I started four sessions a week in therapy, one day a week at college and I did everything I could to keep busy and stop the craving.
In December 2023 I finally went to court for the assault. I was given a suspended sentence and rehabilitation orders which I’ve completed all bar the suspended sentence.
I’d been teetering around SUIT but because I didn’t know what would happen with court I didn’t engage fully. In hindsight I was reserved, keeping an old part of me alive just in case I went back to prison. From court I had a plan if I didn’t go back to prison I’d undo all the damage I’d done to myself so I joined the gym. I started going 5 days a week and I felt a real change in myself which spurred me to join the art group at SUIT.
For over forty darkened years,
Stanza: Wozza
Image: Wozza by Darryl Georgiou
Wozza's Story
WOZZA’S STORY…
continued from page 28 …>>
For one of the sessions we went to Wolverhampton Art Gallery which wasn’t my bag until Christiane showed a slide of Jesus being crucified. I talked about the image of Jesus on a cross for forty-five minutes – I could see his pain and found myself talking about it. Christiane asked me to write something and ten minutes later I’d covered two sheets of A4 paper which I read to the group and you could have heard a pin drop. I hadn’t known what I was going to write. But when I started to read it out, it was helping me deal with the issues troubling me and it was the perfect way of getting things out.
I knew straightaway for my sanity this was a way to help express myself. It freed my soul. From that night onwards I wrote something every day and reading it back to myself became my own therapy.
I started sharing and reading my work at the SUIT art group in front of 4 or 5 people and I was getting really good feedback. I could feel the bitterness and resentment leaving me via the poetry. I liked the fact that people connected with it.
I watched the roleplay with Geese Theatre and I watched the Man in the Mask. It triggered me to tears as I identified completely with the character wearing a mask and it brought me to tears. The following day I woke up and felt like the weight of the world had been taken off my shoulders.
I tried to tune into my anger rather than the anger using me and I did it through writing and writing really personal stuff. And then the poetry started to flow. I could really go inside myself and I found I wasn’t afraid to talk about anything.
I felt like a scribe. The words came through me – everyone in the group resonated with my writing on addiction and abuse so I took the risk of reading in public which gave me real confidence in myself. All my issues were being dealt with through the performance of my poetry alongside the recovery groups and the counselling college course.
It’s completely changed my outlook on life. My priority has to be my state of mind. I’m starting now to perform in public and it’s been well received. It’s brought people to tears but also people are really proud of what I’ve done.
This week with SUIT I went to HMP Oakwood to speak about my experiences of addiction. I read my poetry to them and it went down really well. For myself that was probably one of my biggest and proudest moments – that the system itself was listening to me. My aim in life now is to help people who are going through what I’ve gone through or to stop someone going through it.
MENTAL k
Graham Everitt and John Price
When asked to be part of the Recovery Exhibition, artist Graham Everitt came up with the idea of creating a short film about men’s mental health, MENTALk. Thie documentary will be screened at the Friday Lates at Wolverhampton Art Gallery on Friday September 27th 6-9 pm.
Graham: As soon as someone says, “mental health” all too often the recipient hears “there must be something wrong with them” but doesn’t listen to what the person has to say.
Mental health is our legacy which we hand over to future generations - just like the environment. It is real and not imagined or virtual. It disables, corrupts and can kill when handled incorrectly, but when managed properly it can bring happiness, success & peace.
Like a home or vehicle, the mind needs maintenance. Men will happily talk about their cars or football club but seldom talk about their mental health. To see a counsellor regularly should be no different to having a one-to-one fitness coach − the want to improve and be well. This is the next giant step men have to take.
Participant John Price: I am so honoured to be involved in such a worthwhile and life-changing project. This could be the start of something amazing for us all. From a personal point of view, I didn’t know just how much I needed to take part until I
spoke with Kate and Graham. We all need to learn together to make it easier for us to help ourselves and to understand others better. We all deserve to be heard, to be cared for and to be treated fairly.
This project will highlight the sheer magnitude of men’s mental health taboos and enable us to tackle them together. It just felt so liberating and empowering to talk about my own mental health and the mental health of others to people who really care. This is going to be like dropping the pebbles in a lake, the ripples will reach as far as we want them to.
DANNY'S STORY: A D I FFERENT PERSON
Paul Berry: Good Shepherd Wolverhampton
For people experiencing homelessness and addiction, even when they possess a strong desire to move forward, there are often obstacles. Traumas which have prompted their lives to move in an unwanted direction are difficult to shake off. That is why, at the Good Shepherd, no one is ever judged, and no one is ever given up on. Take 51-year-old Gary, nickname Danny, as an example. A difficult childhood saw him battling drug addiction from a young age. Periods of sustained drug abuse and spells in prison followed, alongside being able to work for a living. In 2000, he was attacked with an iron bar spending a long period in a coma before being rehabilitated at the Brain Injury Unit in Birmingham. It has left its legacy in terms of affecting his speech and movement. There have been times since where he has either been locked in a cycle of addition and homelessness or trying to come off drugs. Now though, Danny has come through several months of a sustained move forward.
Aiming to overcome his addiction, he has made substantial progress under the guidance of a team of people including Good Shepherd Key Worker, Paul Burns. A monthly injection of Buvidal, and a determination to engage has seen Danny pick up the pieces
of his life and be able to make his own decisions and feel like he is making a positive contribution.
“It feels like I have got my life back, 100 per cent. I feel like a different person, and that is what people are telling me. The life I had before was exhausting, there was nowhere to go to escape from it all because the addiction controls you. Now though, I have something to look forward to, something to get up for every day.”
The Good Shepherd is one of several charities and agencies who supported Danny, (P3, Recovery Near You and the probation service.) Paul is delighted with his progress.
“Danny now has something to get out of bed for and it’s not spending the day just existing or hustling for money. After
seeing him recently, the probation officer he has worked with for 20 years including several prison sentences, called to say she couldn’t believe how much he had progressed.”
Danny has started volunteering in the dining service at the Good Shepherd. “Once the Class A drugs get you, they get you, they control you and you just feel you can’t get away. It takes your life away. The only way to deal with it is try and come off them, to be determined and stick to it. When I was addicted to drugs it was always to block away the pain. It only leads one way and that’s not a good way, but I am using that as motivation to make me stronger and more determined – I’ve got too much to lose to go back to how things used to be.”
Image: 'Danny' by Stuart Manley
WHAT IS SMART RE
Linda Turner
Self-Management and Recovery Training is a program of recovery that provides training and tools for people who want to change any problematic behaviour eg: addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, and food. Guided by facilitators, participants come to help themselves and each other using tools and techniques derived from psychological interventions. Peer led meetings provide a welcoming and non-judgemental space. They are led by trained facilitators with lived experience of addiction.
The SMART values include:
Everyone has the power of choice and can choose to change unhelpful or harmful behaviours.
People are not their behaviours so stigmatising language like ‘addict’ and ‘alcoholic’ is not used.
People seeking recovery are empowered to choose what works best for them from a ‘toolbox’ of methods.
Participants can engage with any other services which they find helpful; there is no one path to recovery. Once a healthy and balanced lifestyle is achieved participants are free to move on and pursue other goals in life. Some may choose to volunteer and train to become facilitators.
I have lived experience of addiction and work for SUIT as the SMART Coordinator. My first taste of alcohol at 15 made me feel ‘better’. I had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, using it as a tool to numb out painful emotions due to a difficult childhood. I used it as a way to cope with life’s problems until it became the problem. I had to drink to function both physically and mentally. My addiction resulted in hospital admissions, rehab, joblessness, and a constant cycle of staying sober for a few months and then relapsing.
I have now been abstinent from alcohol for 7 years. I had to make changes, including leaving a job which did not give me purpose. I went back into education and retrained, a daunting prospect in my forties, however I flourished. I also had amazing support from Recovery Near You and SUIT.
By attending the SMART groups I learnt ways to cope with urges to drink, to challenge negative thoughts and to keep motivated. I volunteered with SUIT and became a facilitator for SMART Groups. I now train and supervise other volunteers with lived experience to facilitate the groups.
COVERY?
To keep motivation the group are asked to write what they value most, and they do not list alcohol/drugs as something they value. Each value is discussed and it is highlighted that if they do use/drink all these values are set aside as their chosen substance is placed above all values. This exercise focuses on what is important in their lives and strengthens their resolve not to sacrifice these by engaging in addiction.
Warren
I was asked by my counsellor to do SMART recovery. Self-management and recovery training. It’s for anyone whose ever had any type of addiction. The ethos is you became an addict so you have the power within to overcome your addiction. I scoffed at the idea – it wasn’t what I wanted to do. I’ve done a lot of individual therapy but don’t like group recovery.
It’s really weird – once I started to attend the group, I attended them all. I was vocalising what had previously just been in my head, it was like unravelling a plate of spaghetti. Things that I’d been struggling
In Wolverhampton, SMART Groups are currently held daily apart from Thursdays and are facilitated by trained volunteers recruited and supervised by SUIT. Meetings are open to adults who are or have been a client of RNY and or SUIT and desire to change their addictive behaviour. They are held at RNY, 1 Connaught Road, Wolverhampton. For more information call Linda on 01902 328983.
with in my mind started to make sense and that’s all down to the power of the group, some people share, some people listen. For me silence is the loudest voice in the room. I had an innate ability to understand the others and I could help them.
At the same time I’m attending a counselling course which has become like therapy too. I didn’t run from issues that were internal. At the time of writing this I’m now an accredited SMART facilitator and in the next few weeks I’ll be facilitating groups.
WATERMELON PEACE
Steve Coldrick, LEAP volunteer
I have been through many tough times… too many. It’s a wonder I am still alive. Addiction, homelessness and prison was a cycle that repeated itself over many decades with no one to blame but myself. I was always too quick to say yes, too slow to say no. I know it’s a bit late in life, but now, saying no is my default setting. That doesn’t mean I can’t change my mind, but now, only after careful reconsideration.
There is no education like adversity and now I’m the educator − putting my life’s experience into good action by helping others not to make the same mistakes. And now here I am, a LEAP volunteer. LEAP stands for the Lived Experience into Action Project and that pretty much says it all. LEAP volunteers at the Good Shepherd draw from valuable personal experiences when interacting with service users − who better to assist others struggling in life? Learning to touch the hearts and minds of others is more than just words. With training and support we can make worthwhile interventions – providing access to the right resources and improving our clients’ physical and mental health. At my age it’s nice to get the chance to do something positive for others.
One of my duties is to participate and facilitate the Good Shepherd’s art group. In the group I sit still and relax, time stops and the world ceases to exist. It’s being in
the moment, and in that moment, we get to create something beautiful. There is also an amazing camaraderie with the others in the group. It’s the best therapy. In one of our Arts Council workshops, artist Darryl Georgiou introduced us to A.I. technology. It was an eye-opening experience for me. Taking on board a subject from Charlotte Webb’s previous workshop, ‘Art and Activism’ I set my imagination loose. Trial and error aside, I amazed myself with ‘Watermelon Peace’
The symbolism of the watermelon varies across cultures and contexts throughout history, symbolizing abundance, fertility, life and love. The fruit is grown in Gaza and the West Bank, and it is the same four colours as the Palestinian flag. It has become a symbol for Palestinian resistance, representing solidarity and resistance after Israel’s suppression of Palestine’s flag. The watermelon depicted in art or posted as an emoji has also become a symbol of hope for Palestinians and their supporters. By using the watermelon emoji in their usernames, stories and posts they can counter censorship.
So, whether it’s a hidden political statement or a representation of life and fertility, the watermelon carries diverse meanings transcending borders and barriers. This artwork will be exhibited as part of ‘Recovery is for Everyone’.
Image: ‘Watermelon Peace’ by Steve Coldrick, A.I. and Illustration Workshop
Darryl Georgiou
The Image Always Has the Last Word
“THE IMAGE ALWAYS HAS THE LAST WORD”
A conversation between Darryl Georgiou & Kate Penman
Q: What are you trying to do in the workshops and why?
A: Give people a voice to tell their own stories…
Start a conversation ranging from the epic to the everyday. The workshops provided an opportunity to move peoples’ thoughts from the edges to the centre. Share ideas and knowledge… or create an individual visual language. The ambition being to engage in a form of “social sculpture”… because as artist Joseph Beuys said in the 1970s… “everything is art” and “everyone has the potential to be an artist”.
Q: What are your biggest art theory influences?
A: I have a background in social arts / activism. The term “social sculpture” is influential because it provides an expanded approach that acknowledges art’s potential to transform individual lives and wider society. I like the mantra that “context is half the work”… The Artist Placement Group (APG) is an influential artists group formed in 1960s that organised placements within industry, public institutions and government collaborations. Artists would develop projects in-situ… going beyond the studio/ gallery into external settings. For me another theoretical question being… Whose image is it anyway?
Q: What or who directly influenced your workshop ideas?
A: The development of work was partly influenced by the X-Ray Specs character… a young lad that appeared in the Buster comic strip (1970s onwards). He wears a pair of spectacles that let him “see through things” including objects and situations. He is consequently the patron saint of cutaways. The X-ray metaphor suggests hidden content and meaning. It also provides an analogy for the workshops and photo-artworks that I made to document sessions. My original inspiration was Hans Haacke… a German artist concerned with deconstruction and “looking through things”. Haacke is the grown-up version of little X-Ray Specs because of the forensic way he questions the world and exposes connections between money, politics, inequality, art and ‘self-
“ everything is art and everyone has the potential to be an artist ”
representation’. These subjects resonated with the group.
Q: What role can art play in helping us to focus on the present or future?
A: Art is a life raft. It is essential… a near guarantee of improved mental health. A methodology to expand thinking, curiosity and experimentation. Make unexpected connections and provide a framework for the process. Recovery was one starting point… but notions of ‘resistance’ became a recurring theme.
Q: The city's motto, 'Out of Darkness Cometh Light' resonates with
the participants. How important is art in navigating these journeys?
A: Art can be the vehicle for journeys of discovery and transformation. We discussed art within the context of recovery as a tool for change. This aligned with the "Out of Darkness Cometh Light" motto as it related to struggle, challenge and new opportunities. The hope that by recognizing the darkness, a brighter future can be created. Personal stories about history, memory, collective identity, culture and ‘place making’… eclipsed any darkness through humour.
Q: What did you learn from the workshops that explored socially engaged art?
A: I learned that Life is art. It can help us look for patterns and join the dots… Also, that the image always has the last word! Exploring socially engaged work has perhaps raised more questions than answers… yet through developing a community-based approach we better understood the ethical issues relating to recovery. We used multimedia technologies and traditional materials… everything from A.I. software for political illustrations to live art or wearable art. It was a privilege to collaborate with such inspirational artists.
Image:: Spoken word artist (Wozza) by Darryl Georgiou
RECOVERY NEEDS EVERYONE
Kate Penman
In my own Recovery journey, I have been blessed too with opportunities that I couldn’t foresee. And there are many people to thank. After being sectioned in 2022 with a manic episode, the recovery journey has been ongoing.
Sensitivity and understanding around mental health is paramount in everyone’s recovery. I have been working at the Good Shepherd for four years. Being in a supportive workplace that values lived experience has enabled me to enter back into a working environment despite having been seriously ill. I have a mental health check every week with my Line Manager who also runs through the Arts Council Project with me. Week in and week out I have been able to feedback to him the undeniable impact that this Arts Council funding has had on the Recovery community in Wolverhampton.
Whilst still battling depression and anxiety I attended Creative Black Country’s funding workshops which gave me the confidence to work on our biggest funding bid yet within the arts. Being successfully granted funding we could embark on an ambitious socially engaged arts project, and the best partnership work I have ever helped to facilitate. There are too many people to thank but ahead of our successful bid the whole community came on board, agencies and artists all with unyielding passion for the project.
Reading Sally’s article for this magazine confirmed everything I already felt about the project but to see it in print reignited the sentiment that recovery cannot happen in isolation. Since January, we have held workshops at the NAC, and since then the group has gone from strength to strength. Talking with the participants, seeing the artists and clients in action has been an absolute delight. Characters emerge within the group and to hear someone say how the classes have helped them has undoubtedly helped me with my own recovery journey.
Our current workshop run by Ecoartist Jane Plowright has looked at the interconnectedness of everything within our natural environment. Working on this collaborative installation, the value of community, connection and candour has not escaped me. The group have been so transparent about their journeys and so understanding about each others’ vulnerabilities including my own. Like Sally I wish this journey could continue. And thank you Arts Council England for believing that a homeless charity could oversee such a huge project, which has been both life-changing and life-affirming.
Image: ‘Togetherness’ by Matt Lloyd, Eco Installation Workshop
RECOVERY EXHIBi TION
COLLECTIVi SM #15 LAUNCH
An evening of music, art and conversation
Friday 13th September | 6-9pm
Newhampton Arts Centre, Dunkley Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 4AN
‘Recovery is for Everyone’ is a multidisciplinary art exhibition at Newhampton Arts Centre – featuring the work created by our Arts Council funded workshops delivered throughout the year by fourteen professional artists across a range of creative mediums, from pottery and spoken word to A.I. and portraiture. The workshops were attended by Good Shepherd and SUIT service users, as well as families and young people impacted by addiction. In building awareness and raising the profile of recovery through art and testimonies, ‘Recovery is for Everyone’ aims to bring lived experience to a wider audience and demonstrates the power of art and community as a tool for recovery. As part of that journey, we looked at the trauma of homelessness and mental health issues which can often be part of the recovery process.
We are exhibiting alongside University alumni and established and emerging artists from Wolverhampton who have a direct or indirect relationship to Recovery in all its connotations. The launch night features Stewart Kendrick on decks,
spoken word led by The Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists and Bones. The opening night will also feature an opportunity to meet with the artists involved and discover more about recovery opportunities in Wolverhampton.
We value your support and are proud of what we’ve achieved throughout this project. It would be great to see you there and you can be assured of a warm welcome as we celebrate Recovery Month and what it means to us, our families, friends and the wider community.
Please also join us on Friday 27th September at Wolverhampton Art Gallery 6-9pm when Good Shepherd and SUIT take over the gallery as part of their Friday Lates. We will be screening two short films that capture the essence of the work we do and the need for arts in recovery to open conversations around addiction and mental health issues. The night will feature screenings, spoken word, artwork and music.
Recovery is For Everyone: Every Person, Every Family, Every Community.
Image: ‘Isolation Kills’ by Sally Rowley, Illustration workshop, Photograph by Darryl Georgiou
LOCAL SUPPORT SERVICES
RECOVERY NEAR YOU
www.recoverynearyou.org.uk
Tel (Adult self referral tel): 0300 200 2400 – Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm
Tel (Young People referral tel): 0300 123 3360 – lines open 24/7
Address: Wolverhampton Substance Misuse Service 5-9 Pitt Street, Wolverhampton WV3 0NF
Opening times: Monday – Wednesday 9am-5pm / Thursday: 9am-7pm / Friday: 9am-5pm
SUIT
www.suitrecoverywolverhampton.com
Email: suit@wvca.org.uk
Tel: 01902 328 983
Address: Paycare House! George Street! Wolverhampton WV2 4DG
Opening times: Monday – Monday - Friday 9am- 4:30pm
GOOD SHEPHERD
www.gsmwolverhampton.org.uk
Email: office@gsmwolverhampton.org.uk
Tel: (01902) 399955
Address: 65 Waterloo Rd, Wolverhampton! West Midlands WV1 4QU
Opening times: Monday-Friday 9am-4pm
SAMARITANS, WOLVERHAMPTON
www.samaritans.org/branches/wolverhampton
Tel (Adult self referral): 0300 200 2400 – Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm
Tel: 116 123 free from any phone
Address: 54 Newhampton Road West, Wolverhampton WV6 0RU
Opening times: Monday – Thursday 11:30 am – 10 pm
AA (ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS)
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Email: help@aamail.org
National Helpline (Free): 0800 9177 650
NA (NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM) ukna.org
Email: pi@ukna.org
Tel (Helpline): 0300 999 1212 10am - midnight
Address: St Mary and St John church, Snow hill, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV2 4AD
Physical Meeting room: Saturday 18:30 - 20:00