CoolFruit June 2014

The CoolTan Arts Review

INSIDE: Events, Reviews, Exhibitions, Insight, Poetry, Recipes

... and more!

June 2014 Spring into Summer!

The CoolTan Arts Review

Š 2014 All Right Reserved

CoolFruit Magazine was produced by volunteers at CoolTan Arts in workshops led by Annie Spinster with special sessions by Clancy Davies.

With Contributions by:

Brian Ring Jill Newman Jill Spencer John Tenkin Poppy Shakespeare Sasha Dee

Written & Edited by:

Adrian Whyatt Andrea Cornfield Ann Fenn Anne Korff Annie Spinster Gregory Baldeosingh

Layout & Design:

Alessia Passaretta and Steve Parry

Cover Image:

In Hoang - I Deserve To Be Loved; 2014, acrylic on canvas

Hattie Lucas In Hoang Lillian Nalumansi Shannon Johnson Tanya Zhu

We would love to hear your views and thoughts on what is in this magazine.

Do you have an idea you’d like to share for getting out and about and improving your mental wellbeing? What has been your experience of applying for ESA? Maybe you have a poem, recipe or piece of art you would like to share with us.

Please send all letters and submissions to cooltanmagazine@gmail.com and we will include as many as we can.

With thanks to The Maudsley Charity and Capital Volunteering Legacy Fund for supporting this project.

The CoolTan Arts Review

e m o c l e W Welcome to the latest issue of CoolFruit Spring into Summer!

If this year is one day, we’re around late morning now and as a few gentle summer rays filter through the parting rainclouds of Spring, Mother Nature is up, awake (though still in dressing gown and furry slippers) and just about to drink her second cup of coffee.

The broken remnants of New Year’s resolutions are all swept up and new beginnings are well underway.

Rediscover simple, outdoor pleasures like walking, meeting friends in the park or blowing the cobwebs off that pushbike! Everything just looks a bit brighter this time of year. Whatever we’ve said over the last six months, Mother Nature’s not a bad old stick really … once she gets herself in gear!

Get yourself kick-started for summer with this issue’s articles including Five Ways to Wellbeing, Bike this Spring, Largactyl Shuffle, Books for Mental Wellbeing and Southwark Tales. Hattie Lucas shines a light on the ESA process, while Lillian Nalumansi considers deportation and its effects on mental health.

Also, artwork to inspire, poetry to uplift and amuse, picnic-perfect recipes and more!

Contents On Our Way Here

4

Draw With Me

7

Spring in London

8

Artist Profile - Ese Imonioro

11

Poetry - Happiness

17

ESA: How to Survive

18

Poetry and Images by Sasha Dee 23 Bike This Summer

25

Recipes 28 Do the Largactyl Shuffle

30

Deportation 38 David Hockney Rocks!

41

Five Ways to Wellbeing

44

Artist profile - Anna-Maria Amato 46 Doggerel Dump or Poetry Pump? 50 Southwark Tales 52 Exhibition: Positive Women

57

Books for Mental Wellbeing

60

CoolTrade

62

Get Involved

64

Happy reading!

m a e T t i u r F l o o C e h T A Downloadable version of this magazine is available at: www.cooltanarts.org.uk

The opinions in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of CoolTan Arts as a charity.

3

On our way here

By Adrian Whyatt and Hattie Lucas

15 May 2014, 6.30-9pm Type Museum, 100 Hackford Road, London. SW9 0QU.

Accompanying Saskia Olde Woldber’s new Artangel commission, Yes, these Eyes are the Windows, is a series of talks starting with On Our Way Here a discussion between CoolTan Arts founder and artist, Michelle Baharier, artist R.M. Sanchez-Camus (AKA Marcello), and Artangel Producer Rachel Anderson, on how to walk and work collaboratively.

Marcello has been collaborating with CoolTan Arts Participants in recent months to produce ‘an audio performance for anywhere’ - At the Crossroads with Vincent. Launched at CoolTan Arts on 29th May, The work consists of an audio track that has been developed to be listened to anywhere in the world.

Taking inspiration from Vincent van Gogh’s period of residence at 87 Hackford Rd in London from 1873 to 1874, a period during which the artist experienced depression and began to seek a new identity, the walk looks at a crossroads that may occur in our lives. In Vincent’s life it was his mental health, so for CoolTan Artists this was the starting point for mirroring our lives and his life - at a Crossroads with Vincent.

Taking place during Mental Health Awareness Week, this talk, On Our Way Here, would have ‘a particular focus on arts and mental health’ - or so said the blurb. Actually, several additional themes emerged: artistic practice, who has access to being an artist, the fact that At the Crossroads with Vincent could have simply followed CoolTan Arts’ psychogeographical

4

Review Largactyl Shuffle model, but instead defined itself as an independent new audio piece.

It was an exciting evening in which we developed a further understanding of Artangel. Rachel covered how Artangel develop temporary arts commissions and work with partners. She explained that an arts project could transform more than just the arts. This was backed up in the discussion as Michelle pointed out how art enables us to play, thus taking the stress out of the everyday.

Michelle cited some examples where people who had not been able to make food at home transferred skills learned in a painting workshop into making a cake at home. Such participation in the arts enables people to let go in a sublime way, Michelle described, and that these positive life changes happen because people can relax and let go. Michelle said that creativity should pervade every experience rather than being limited to a specific time or place.

Rachel also made the point that it is key to connect with individuals in a community as artists. In this way, it is possible to affect a whole community. For example, she worked on a project which tackled a societal denial of the existence of LGBT prisoners in Wandsworth prison.

Marcello too spoke of the changes that took place as the work emerged from a physical walk between two fixed points to become a new walk with fixed points only in our heads.

Marcello spoke about the inspiration for At the Crossroads with Vincent, an audio-guided walk of

5

Van Gogh’s London.Van Gogh had written letters about his experiences as an outsider living in London, during which time he suffered from mental distress. CoolTan looked closely at these writings and responded sensitively with reference to their own stories in order to compile the audio guide.

In the course of the discussion, physical access issues such as wheelchair access (including powered wheelchairs) came up, with reference to the CoolTan Arts Largactyl Shuffle walks. For example, Michelle said that CoolTan had succeeded in getting bollards moved and a path in a park cleared for wheelchair-users. Michelle explained that ‘These walks can be a network where things can be shared – anything from phone numbers to experiences of taking prescription drugs.’

CoolTan also runs a self-advocacy programme, which has enabled participants to comment and help construct revisions of access standards, specifically consideration of dyslexia-friendly fonts. This prompted a member of staff to give an impromptu and utterly fascinating tour of the printing machinery of the Type Museum - thoroughly worth a visit!

The top tip is: use the arts and more fashionable things to fund projects which otherwise might not be funded.You will get many and wondrous results!

At the Crossroads with Vincent, a free audio walk that

reimagines the emotional landscape of Vincent van Gogh’s London, was launched on 29th May.

You can download the MP3 here This audio walk marks a stage in an ongoing Artangel collaboration between CoolTan Arts, R.M. Sánchez-Camus and Pan Studios. A forthcoming project takes the research findings of this audio performance and transforms them into an interactive experience available via mobile devices, to be published in 2015.

Commissioned and produced by Artangel, supported by Arts Council England,The Company of Angels, and The Heritage Lottery Fund.

6

Sunflower in Canada, Ontario by Laslovarga; Sunflower in Vallejo, CA by Jeffrey Rea

D R A W W I T H M E

Spring Inspired

B Y I N H o a n G

Medium used: Calligraph Felt Tips and arcryllic.

My favourite medium is using the calligraphy brush as it represents my oriental culture and background.

Below is another painting I designed for International Women’s Day called I deserve to be loved.

I enjoy painting silhouettes as they represent a universal human face and it eliminates prejudice.

Medium used: Calligraphy and arcrylic paints.

Images from around Southwark and from Kew Gardens and the 20

Springtime in London

014 London Marathon by Ann Fenn, Annie Spinster and In Hoang

Poetry

FIVE THINGS TO DO WHEN WALKING THROUGH A DEEP, DARK WOOD LATE AT NIGHT 1.

Make sure you keep a pen knife in your pocket

2.

Wear some bright gear to make yourself visible

3.

Whistle a happy tune and chase away the blew

4.

Shout for help the moment a real danger arises

5.

Don’t be stupid enough to go into a deep, dark wood late at night, anyway.

Poem by Brian Ring

-------------------------------This poem is published in Anthropology, available from CoolTan Books, £5.99. See page 62 for more details.

Image: Moonlight and Frost (between 1890 and 1892) by Alexander Helwig Wyant

Artist’s Profile

by Annie Spinster

O R O I N O

M I E ES

...is one of CoolTan Arts’ most prolific and long-standing artists and designers. Her work has been included in many exhibitions over the years at CoolTan and has also been featured in the Alternative Fashion Show at Spitalfields and, most recently, her designs are used in CoolTan’s collection of merchandise.

11

I caught up with Ese after her art class on a Wednesday and asked her about her practice.

Ese’s interest in art began at school, where she did O level Art. After school, she continued her studies, first completing A level Art at Lewisham College and then a Btec National Diploma in Art and Design at Southwark College. It was on this course that she began working with textiles – a medium she still enjoys using today. She started doing a degree at Norwich School of Art but she became very unhappy so far away from family and friends and so she didn’t complete the course. Art was then placed on a back-burner until 2006, when Ese started coming to the Women Make Art group at CoolTan Arts and she has been attending ever since.

12

‘The classes at CoolTan have been very positive for me. Coming to CoolTan gets you out of your flat and helps you make friends.

It has given me a better, less isolated life. I always look forward to coming - the people at CoolTan are very respectful and caring.’

I ask Ese about what she is working on at the moment - a repeat pattern of flowers and fruit. The design, Citrus Burst, is arranged as a checkerboard, with segments of citrus fruit on a slate blue background alternating with lemon-yellow flowers twining

Artist’s Profile across orange squares. The design has a kaleidoscopic quality and plays with notions of figure and ground: Sometimes the flowers are to the fore and sometimes the fruit. ‘I like using repeat patterns because they work well with textiles, something I explored on my BTec. You can take something very simple but when it’s repeated, the effect can be striking. I might use it for batik or a screen printing design. The pattern can be repeated to cover the entire cloth.’

Along with repeat patterns, the checkerboard arrangement is a recurring motif in Ese’s work, cropping up in pieces such as Tea for Two – a design of alternating hot cross buns and cups of tea, and in Smash - an abstract design of spirals on jagged shapes, reminiscent of comic-book collisions.

‘I use a variety of techniques to produce my work - pen, paint, collage, mixed media and textiles. For inspiration, I just choose from things I see around me. I see something I like and think that would make a great design!’

13

‘I sometimes use cuttings from magazines, other times I will start with a drawing of what I see and then repeat that.’

Not all of Ese’s work uses repeating patterns. She exhibited a piece in the most recent CoolTan Arts exhibition called Nurses Through The Ages, which features five women dressed in nurse’s uniform from various points in history. ‘My mother was a nurse and the painting is inspired by that.’ The work is a watercolour painting except for the nurse’s legs which, curiously, are collaged from photographs. Ese remains enigmatically silent when I ask about the nurses’ legs, but has more to say about her mother: ‘She’s one of the main influences in my life.

14

My mother taught me that whatever I want in life, if I work hard for it I can get it.’

Artist’s Profile The painting, and Ese’s inspiration for the work, were an appropriate choice for the exhibition which had the theme of Positive Change, chosen to coincide with International Women’s Day. Another piece, Gotcha, is a complex composition using painting, drawing and collage on the canvas. Ese explains what the work is about: ‘It was a difficult time in my life, people were telling lies about me. This composition is inspired by a doctor I saw who listened to me. He helped me and helped other people see the truth.’

inspiring tutor in the Women Make Art group. She always made the lessons fun and she knows a lot about art. Both George and Angelica Fernando, the current tutor, give me good, constructive criticism.’

As well as attending Women Make Art, Ese comes to the Textiles class at CoolTan on Thursdays. ‘At the moment I am working on a pair of trousers for myself. I am making them from a batik design I did for the last Alternative Fashion Week.

Our collection had a Dickensian theme. I made some batik wraps which were tied around the model ... The effect was bold! The batik I

We talk about Ese’s artistic influences: ‘I like Van Gogh and his use of mark making.

It’s something I reference in my own work. The overall effect is quite striking.’ This influence can be seen in Ese’s piece Butterflies in the Grass, where heavy brush strokes delineate individual blades of grass, making the ground as much a point of interest as the colourful butterflies ranged across the space.

‘Georgina Rodgers was a very

15

am using for the trousers is red with a design of concentric circles.’

I ask Ese to explain the process of batik: ‘You take a piece of material – silk or cotton – and you paint on your design using hot wax.

Then you dip it in the dye.

The wax acts as a resist so those parts are not dyed and you get your pattern. Finally, you wash out the wax and your fabric is ready. It’s a satisfying process – simple but effective.’

Alternative Fashion Week takes place annually at Spitalfields Market in East London. ‘We’ve participated in the show a few times and have been lucky to be mentioned in the national press.

It has given me a lot of confidence seeing my garments on the catwalk.

Clara Jones and Lu Firth were very helpful and inspiring when we did the Dickens show, and also Lydia Honeybone and her mum Liz. It was hard work but was very enjoyable. CoolTan is full of helpful and inspiring people!’

What about the future? ‘I would like my art to continue taking me to positive places. It would be good to sell some of my work.’

Ese’s design, Tea For Two, is available on a teatowel from CoolTan Arts, price £10 (see page 62 of this magazine) If you are interested in attending a workshop or class at CoolTan Arts, please see page 64 for details of how to join.

16

Poetry HAPPINESS Happiness is a child on a beach watching waves and seagulls winging or the sound of a blackbird at midnight in London.

It is hearing a folk song at sunrise in a Provencal vineyard and feeling in touch with hundreds of past years ...

It is the colour of a field of lavender or the scent of roses and buddleia and it’s the taste of good coffee slowly savoured at a pavement cafe.

It is singing with others at Christmas. briefly believing in peace and goodwill or seeing the first February crocus lifting its head above the dark earth.

It is the first day after deep winter that the air is truly warm again.

You stop to feel the sun on your face and close your eyelids against its glare ...

Happiness does not come at our demand ... it comes when it chooses, unbidden.

For a moment, the mind holds still and the heart leaps.

Ann Fenn

March 8th 2014

How to survive the

By Hattie Lucas

Employment and Support Allowance Process

SOME DEFINITIONS Department for Work and Pensions: Atos Healthcare:

The government department responsible for welfare and pension policy.

The organisation that carries out Work Capability Assessments.

Work Programme Provider: An organisation that delivers the Work Programme.

The people who make the final decision about your Decision Makers: capability for work.

Mandatory activity: An activity that you must carry out in order that your benefit not be affected.

Work Capability Assessment: An assessment you attend to judge your capability for work.

Work Programme:

The programme you are put on if the decision makers say that you have the capability to carry out “work-related activity.�

Work Programme provider: The company employed by the Department for Work and Pensions to run your work programme.

Sanction: if you do not go to a mandatory activity, you may receive a sanction that could be a reduction in your benefit.

Compliance doubt: your work programme provider could raise this if you do not go to a mandatory activity. It is passed on to the DWP who decide if you are to be sanctioned.

Claimant: Someone who claims ESA. Participant: Someone who claims ESA and who is on the Work Programme.

Employment and support allowance (ESA) is a benefit for people with an illness or disability which affects their ability to work.

After thirteen weeks on ESA, you are sent a questionnaire to fill in about how your condition affects you. Then your capability for work is assessed.

I went through this process and found it extremely stressful and frustrating, particularly because mental health conditions

18

Image: - Mechanism blue by Tvskyfreak.

seemed to be uncatered for. When I was researching this article, I came across the guidance provided for Atos Healthcare by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). I discovered shocking evidence of people with mental distress being disadvantaged by the process.

The most worrying point that leapt out at me when I trawled through 240 pages of the guidance was this:

“The HCP [health care professional who assesses you] must have a high level of suspicion about the presence of any mental function issue.”

Before we have even filled in the questionnaire, we are already being treated as if we are likely to be cheating the system. The same is not said of physical function. There is, therefore, an explicitly worded disjunction between the way physical and mental conditions are viewed. It is not surprising that “three judges have ruled that the work capability assessment disadvantages people with mental ill health, learning disabilities, and autism.”

At the assessment, it will be taken into account whether you could attend the assessment at all, how you got there, and whether you were accompanied.You may be precluded from receiving certain points just for turning up alone. For example, if you managed to travel to the assessment on your own, DWP claims that it would be extremely unlikely that you would experience: Significant distress when engaging in social contact; and Inability to cope with change That’s two out of eight of the mental function questions that have been answered for you. It’s also a quarter of the relevant assessment areas. Furthermore, it is simply not the case that, if you can attend a planned appointment at the centre, you are able to cope with change. Let’s remember that you receive the appointment letter well in advance, along with all the relevant transport information. This does not reflect an ability to cope with change. If anything, it reflects an ability to cope with things that happen exactly where you expected, when you expected.

There is further indication that decisions about our lives have been taken before we have had the chance to have our say on how our condition affects us:

“If possible, you should meet the claimant and accompany them from the waiting room… it provides an opportunity to observe the claimant outside the examination room.”

The guidance also advises that the claimant’s rapport with the health care Images: - Humpty Dumpty by Byzantine_K - Job centre plus by J J Ellison (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

19

professional be observed (not likely to be positive after you have found out that they have been instructed to have a “high level of suspicion” of you…). They will note whether you make eye contact, even whether you sweat due to anxiety or not.

Your appearance will be taken into account.

If you are timid, this will also be noted.

The problem here is twofold: firstly, we are being treated with suspicion purely on the grounds that we are claiming ESA for a condition affecting mental function. This suspicion is based on nothing we have said or done; it is the blanket guidance given to assessors. How can we expect to be assessed with an open mind if this is the guidance explicitly given? Secondly, a large portion of the assessment criteria has been decided before we even open our mouths.

What is worse is that we are not told that this has happened.

The claimant is asked to provide supporting evidence from any health care professional who knows the details of his or her conditions. This may be provided with the questionnaire or brought to the assessment.You would think that this would strengthen a case for the claimant receiving ESA. However, this is what the guidance has to say about evidence provided by your GP or other health care practitioner:

This guidance attempts to provide a bizarre and counter-factual justification for assessors and decision makers to disregard opinions given by the health care practitioners who know you and your condition best.

Finally, the health care practitioner fills in a report during the assessment and then the report gets sent to “decision makers”. It is quite unbelievable that assessors are reminded that: “…decision makers are not medically qualified…the requirement is for a report which avoids unnecessary medical terminology.”

Hang on a minute. So the person who is eventually deciding whether you are fit for work, unfit for work, or capable of workrelated activity has absolutely no medical training whatsoever? This is backward and explains in part why there have been horror stories of terminally ill claimants being deemed fit for work.

Having said all of this, there are things you can do to regain control over the process.

“A clinician does not routinely consider the functional restrictions or disabling effects of the medical conditions that they treat…the clinician may have no specific training in assessing disabilities in their medical education…clinicians usually have, at best, very limited knowledge of entitlement criteria to ESA.”

20

Image: London September 28 2013 012 Jeremy Corbyn speaking at ATOS Demo - David Holt

The process and your rights The Questionnaire Ask someone you trust to help you fill in the form. It might help if this person knows how your condition affects you on a day-to-day basis.

Take regular breaks if you find answering the questions stressful.

Try to complete the questionnaire in good time and don’t put it off because this might make it more stressful in the long run.

Keep copies of your completed questionnaire and any letters you send to Atos or the Department for Work and pensions (DWP).

Gather medical evidence from medical professionals who best know your condition.

This might be letters, medical records, medical certification, factual reports, or tribunal documents.

When you are asked whether you can complete a task, have in mind that a task must also be completed “reasonably”. The guidance for Atos states that: “if a person can complete a task but suffers significant pain or distress in doing so, they should be considered incapable of the activity.”

The Assessment You have the right to: Bring a companion with you to the assessment.

Ask for the assessment to be recorded. If you want to record the assessment with your own equipment, this must be agreed before the date of the assessment.

Take notes. But bear in mind that they are not “accepted by the DWP as an official record” of the examination.

Bring any evidence of your condition to the assessment. It must be read (this is stated in the guidelines for Atos).

This was from one of the preliminary tests during the Work Programme employability course. It was supposed to gauge my literacy skills…

I was also warned about taking health and safety risks at work.The graphic illustrations of the disastrous consequences made for an effective deterrent; I resolved never to wear a sweet in my hair again.

21

The work programme When you are required to do something for the work programme, you are sent a Mandatory Activity Notice (MAN). This is a letter which explains what you must do, when, and where.

A MAN must be either handed to you directly or sent by post. It is not acceptable for your provider to tell you about a mandated activity in person or on the phone; it must be in writing. If your provider does not do this and then they raise a compliance doubt, you must appeal and explain that your provider did not follow the correct procedure.

If you receive a MAN, you can ask your provider to reconsider the activity if you don’t think it is reasonable or appropriate.Your provider is obliged to reconsider and tell you their decision in good time.

People with mental distress are classed as ‘vulnerable’. This means that it is your work programme provider’s responsibility to make sure you understand what you must do for the work programme.

If you don’t turn up for a mandated activity, your provider must consider whether this was because of mental distress before raising a compliance doubt.

Providers cannot make you apply for jobs, have medical treatment, take up work or unpaid work experience.

If you don’t:

a) ‘Make the most of the help the provider gives.’

b) Treat the provider and other participants politely, fairly, and considerately.

c) Attend meetings or take phone calls at the times agreed,

your provider may tell the DWP that you ‘failed to participate’ in the work programme.

For a detailed guide to the work capability assessment, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esa214-a-guide-to-employmentand-support-allowance-the-work-capability-assessment

For a detailed guide to the work programme visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/work-programme-guidance-foremployers-and-providers

Local resources: Southwark Citizen’s Advice Bureau: www.southwarkcabservice.org.uk Southwark Legal Advice Network: www.southwarkadvice.org.uk National Citizen’s Advice Bureau: www.adviceguide.org.uk Government details of benefits and changes to benefits: www.gov.uk/browse/benefits

22

Poetry

V a n i s h i n g ‘... a satire on the Pastoral from Shakespeare to Victorian writers’ Spring, the sweet spring!

The nature’s pleasant king: Is here, I can hear.

Its hymnal choric ring When morning birds sing Spring the sweet spring I can smell the car-fumes cling Cigarettes’ smoke-ring The man-made halo Round the nature’s divine king

S p r i

The battle of the traffic roaring The rattle of the noise that sing; The persistent police siren’s ring The dingdong of the fire engine rushing In this madness my mind is going, going!

Wait, wait the ambulance is coming.

n

Spring my sweet spring, Wherefore art thou, my king?

Can you hear my dire prayer That I do dare, so rare?

g

Spring, oh sweet spring You’re now a vanishing thing!

by Sasha Dee

23

Sasha Dee Canadian Winter

Landscape in deep woodland

Canadian Winter 2

Sparks in Cosmos 1

Canadian Prairie French Lady in the 1800s

Abstract 1

To see more of Sasha’s artwork, visit his page on Outside In http://www.outsidein.org.uk/Sasha-Dee Phantasmic

Interview

by Anne Korff

Bike this Summer

Cycling has become one of the capital’s major trends in recent years. As soon as the sun pokes a few tentative beams through the grey London sky, there they are in flocks at every junction: in high visibility jackets and leggings, heads in helmets bent low over the crossbar.

But is cycling in London really for everyone?

I met with William, artist, CoolTan Arts volunteer and avid London cyclist born and bred, to learn more.

William learned to cycle when his brother got his first bike and they took turns. At age 11, he fondly remembers, he bought his favourite bicycle. ‘It was red and had handlebars like horns. I loved to skid on sand or gravel – anything I could find. I would go really fast and then brake to skid.’

Even once the playdays were over William cycled on a daily basis from home in Brixton to work in Hoxton.

Today cycling is still an important part of William’s day-to-day life. ‘I enjoy the mobility it brings. You can stop and start and go where ever you want to go.’

25

One of his secret pleasures is to listen to music while cycling or navigating certain park gates without getting off the bike. ‘That requires some skill. You have to pedal slowly, softly and remain calm.’

The personal advantages of using a bike as an alternative mode of transport are manifold. While avoiding the ever-increasing cost of travel in London, the exercise in the fresh air is great for body and mind.

‘It’s a great alternative to cars. You don’t get stuck in traffic. There’s less maintenance costs.

And I love the freedom of movement: you can go where other vehicles can’t. Also there’s less pollution.’

Unfortunately there are not enough cyclists yet to improve the air pollution in busy areas such as Southwark. In addition to the often terrible disrepair of the roads this can spoil the joys of cycling. William recommends using backstreets or subways, as well as getting off to walk on pavements at roads around the sadly infamous Elephant & Castle roundabout.

The extreme danger you can face when on such roads is still one of the major deterrents for many Londoners to take up biking. Last winter six London cyclists died within a fortnight. One of them was filmmaker and CoolTan volunteer Richard Muzira – also a keen cyclist and a close friend of William.

Sadly, cyclists without stories of near misses or actual accidents are an exception. It appears that many motorists do not take into account the presence of cyclists.

26

Cycling Resourc

For information on cyclin Website.

56a Collective’s Bike Wo and second hand bike pa

‘A car stopped in front of me and the driver just opened the door. I couldn’t brake and crashed straight into it. I was badly hurt. The driver was in shock for a moment. Then he just drove off with a brief ‘sorry mate’.’ William recalls several collisions which he escaped sometimes more, sometimes less unscathed. Mostly they were caused by the motorists’ lack of attention.

However, the media and politicians have been quick to lay the blame with the cyclists. William knows, ‘of course, there are these mad racers that just overtake you and jump red lights.’ But studies have found that the clear majority of severe cycling accidents could not be

traced to the cyclists’ misdemeanor.

In February, Boris Johnson finally pledged £290m to fund major reconstructions of some notoriously dangerous London roundabouts, among them the Elephant & Castle. While critics welcomed these plans, they called them long overdue. By making the streets safer and less threatening to cyclists London may eventually become more like cities such as Amsterdam or Berlin – a haven for cyclists.

Since the time of writing another cyclist has been killed in a collision on Elephant & Castle roundabout. We offer our sincere condolences to the family of Abdelkhalak Lahyani who died on 13th May.

ces in Southwark

ng events and training and to download cycle maps of the area, visit Southwark Council

orkshop in Newington provides space and tools for DIY repairs and also sells cheap new arts. Visit their blog to learn more.

27

PICNIC FA

Here are a couple of recipes from CoolTan Arts’ Cooking Club which are perfect for an ‘on

Vegan Lentil Loaf is wholesome and healthy as well as delicious (so could be a great addition to a take out with you in handy slices over a few days (the spices help it keep longer in both fridge and

If you fancy a bit of crunch and tang with your lentil loaf, Orange and Lemon Slaw Salad is the per

Bon appétit!

Vegan lentil loaf

by John Tenkin Ingredients

Method

1 Tbsp oil

Heat the oil in a saucepan, and cook the red onion, garlic and carrot over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the next 4 ingredients (the 4 spices), and cook, stirring constantly, for a further 1-2 minutes.

1 red onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 medium carrot, finely diced ¼ tsp ground cumin ¼ tsp medium curry powder ¼ tsp cayenne chilli pepper ½ tsp paprika 150g red lentils 900ml vegetable stock Black pepper ½ tsp dried oregano ½ tsp dried thyme 100g rolled oats 3 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Serves 6 28

Add the lentils and stock, and season well with black pepper and the dried herbs. Simmer for around 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Stir regularly. Add the fresh parsley, and stir in as many oats as you need to bring the mixture to the correct consistency (you may need slightly more or less than the 100g suggested). It should be moist, but sturdy enough to hold its shape solidly rather than filling the container. Mix well.

Lightly grease a baking dish or loaf tin, and spoon in the lentil mixture. Spread out until smooth.

Bake at 200C (Gas Mark 6/400F) for 30-40 minutes, and then gently turn out onto a baking tray. If needed, grill (broil) for a few minutes to crisp up the top. Leave to cool for 5-10 minutes, before carefully slicing.

AYRE

Food

n-the-go’ lunch or a leisurely picnic … or simply for the love of tasty treats!

get-fitter-for-summer diet), providing slow release energy and plenty of roughage. It’s perfect to d lunchbox) or could equally feature as a starring easy-share dish at a picnic.

rfect refreshing accompaniment.

Orange and Lemon Slaw Salad

by Jill Newman Ingredients

Method

Carrots –grated

1. Shred the cabbage.

Juice of one lemon

2. Add the grated fresh ginger, and the grated rind of the orange and lemon.

Juice and rind of one orange 1 red onion Some beetroot Red/white cabbage 2 Bramley apples 1 stick celery 1 tsp grated fresh ginger root

3. Peel the Bramley apples, grate them and add to the cabbage.

4. Cut the celery into small pieces and add it to the above.

5. Mix together in a jug or cup a little olive oil and the juice of the orange and lemon. Pour on to the salad.

6. Mix all together to combine the flavours.

! y o j n e d Serve an CoolTan Arts Cooking Club is open to all adults aged 18+ living in Southwark who experience mental distress. They meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10.30am - 2pm. You can join at any time and sessions cost £3 To find out more or sign up, please contact Jill Newman: jillcooltanarts@gmail.com or phone 020 7701 2696

29

Do the Largactyl Shuffle

By Tanya Zhu The Largactyl Shuffle is a monthly, guided, stigma-busting, cultural walk developed by CoolTan Arts.

Founded in 2006, the project was named after the first anti-psychotic drug, Largactil, which had been recognized as a wonder drug for its strikingly curative effects on mental health until its extreme physical side-effects that could cause people to The project is named after shuffle with a the first anti-psychotic shambolic walk was realised in drug - Largactil recent years.

‘Individuals with mental distress often experience social isolation and low self-esteem, which is in turn one of the biggest causes of mental illness,’ explains Michelle Baharier, CEO of CoolTan Arts and one of the founders of Largactyl Shuffle, ‘This volunteer and participantled project provides opportunities for participants to stay connected with others and raises awareness of mental health and the interaction between art, physical and mental well-being.’ The project has

30

succeeded in attracting people with significant mental distress as well as curious members of the general public by connecting them through art, exercise and knowledge. It has become one of CoolTan Arts’ most long-running and established projects.

The Largactyl Shuffle takes place on the third Saturday of the month. Each walk has a different theme relating to significant international matters or historic events. These monthly themes have become an essential and permanent component of the project, and include LGBT History Month Walk in February,

International Women’s Day Walk in March, Black History Month Walk in September and Literary Walk in November.

CoolTan Arts runs its projects in its own characteristic way— by promoting social inclusion, embracing all communities and cultures and bringing tourism and integration to the Borough of Southwark, a role that is recognised by one of Largactyl Shuffle’s main funders, Southwark Council Community Fund.

Volunteers meet once a week to plan and prepare the monthly walks led by Lu Firth, the coordinator of the Largactyl Shuffle.

These volunteers have been trained with various walk leading skills such as first aid and hazard perception in order to ensure the safety of all participants on each walk.

They also take responsibility for carrying out research on the monthly themes and for giving talks en route. Lu and the volunteers work out the formal and detailed plans for each walk right before it happens.

‘I joined CoolTan Arts approximately 11 years ago and have been project ‘It always amazes me, the Co-ordinator of wonders we manage to Largactyl Shuffle find on our walks!!!’ since September 2010.’ Lu says, ‘ The primary aim of the project is to encourage people to make positive changes in their lives by trying new things, meeting new people, catching a taste of historical Southwark and hearing talks and stories about health, art and society while strolling in local green spaces. You will often find us in Southwark Local History Archive researching and rummaging through old photographs and historical papers of local interest. Each walk is unique and has a different theme.

I introduced the first Black History Month walk and supported our LGBT History walk with input from our own local Southwark LGBT artists and community. It always amazes me, the wonders we manage to find on our walks!!!’

31

The Largactyl Shuffle Route Although the Largactyl Shuffle takes a slightly different route each time, the walks generally follow a path from east to west (or west to east) between Maudsley Hospital and the banks of the Thames. On the way, walkers can learn about places and characters from local history and discover the hidden delights of Southwark

Upcoming Largactyl Shuffle Walks 21 June: Summer Solistice Midnight Walk (see advert on page xxx) 19 July: Garden Walk, from Maudsley to Myatts Fields 16 August: Industrial Walk, from Tate Modern to Bermondsey 20 September: Black History Walk, from Maudsley Hospital to Peckham 11 October: Sponsored Walk from Maudsley to Southbank 15 November: Literary Walk, from Maudsley Hospital to Peckham Rye 20 December: Musical Walk, from Tate Modern to Bermondsey

More info ...

Walks happen on the third Saturday of each month and last approximately 4 hours.

Walks are family friendly and inclusive and are suitable for people of all abilities including wheelchair users. You can join us for half an hour, half a mile or the full distance of 4.8 miles.

Walks start from outside the main entrance of Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, SE5 8AZ OR from outside the Turbine Hall entrance of Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1 9TG. Call 020 7701 2696 or 0798 565 8443 to find out more!

Although the route is slightly different each month, the walks often start from Maudsley Hospital - the largest mental health training institution in the UK.

One of the biggest public events in CoolTan Arts’ calendar is the annual Largactyl Shuffle Sponsored Walk, which takes place in October to celebrate World Mental Health Day (10 October).

The walk starts at Maudsley Hospital and attracts many participants. Last year’s event, on the theme of Stayin’ Alive, attracted about 70 walkers, who helped raise £4,500 for CoolTan Arts. Previous notable years include 2011, when walkers were joined by Arthur Smith, the wellknown British comedian and one of the CoolTan Arts’ Patrons, and 2010, when walkers installed several large temporary sculptures at points along the route.

Since 2006, CoolTan Arts Largactyl Shuffle has visited and worked in partnership with St George The Martyr Church, The Feminist Library, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Myatts Fields Park and Community Garden & Kitchen, Bunhill Cemetery, The Tate Modern, South London Art Gallery, Cross-Bones Cemetery, The Dragon Café, Rev. Ray Andrews, Peter Tatchell and the singer M J Woodbridge.

‘Having a project to work on keeps me learning’

34

Other frequently visited points of interest include St. Giles Church, which is associated with a well near Camberwell Grove by a local legend, Camberwell Green, the small area of common land where CoolTan Arts’ Gingko Tree and Bench (created by Rossen Daskalov and opened

by Cllr. Dora Dixon-Fyle) lies, Faraday Gardens - named after local scientist Michael Faraday and Burgess Park original site of Women’s Friendly Society & Asylum, which now is one of London’s largest parks.

Most volunteer walk leaders, particularly those who have experienced redundancy and the distress of re-orientating themselves, feel that their experience with CoolTan Arts as a volunteer walk leader has been very helpful. One

volunteer said, ‘Having a project to work on which is sociable keeps me learning and has helped me with a transitional stage of my life.’ Another said: ‘I was lucky to find CoolTan, where there is much freedom and variety in the roles you can get involved in. I gave a lot and learned a lot at the same time from the experience.

Within Largactyl Shuffle walks I brought in more music/singing and…I have now gone on to gain employment as a teaching assistant at a primary school. My experience of workshops with the walks helped me to realise that this was where I wanted my career to go.’

One volunteer exhibited and led an arts workshop at Tate Modern, another designed a Tate Modern in-house poster. One

volunteer was successfully employed to work as lead curator for another CoolTan project.

The success of Largactyl Shuffle has led CoolTan Arts to

develop several other walking projects on different themes.

CoolTan Arts’ Community Legacy Walks in East London celebrated the legacy of the Olympics and Paralympics and enabled people to embrace the changes taking place around the Olympic area and to have pride in being part of history in the making. Taking place in Hackney, in collaboration ‘I have really enjoyed with the Centre for Wellbeing, the working with enthusiastic project included and knowledgeable poetry reading, playing Olympicvolunteers’ themed games and meditation exercises. A total of 21 walks, designed and run by people with disabilities, took place in 2012 - 2013, both before and after the Olympics and 170 members of the public came along to the walks.

CoolWalks is a guided walking project

by CoolTan Arts in association with Southwark Libraries and Public Health.

‘We have been running for just over a year and leading themed guided walks from libraries in Southwark,’ explains Georgina Rodgers, CoolWalks Co-ordinator: ‘The project has exceeded all my expectations and I have really enjoyed working with enthusiastic and knowledgeable

35

local area and its history, to get fit and to meet new people.’ The project team is now planning a prospective walk starting from Blue Anchor Library in Bermondsey at 12.30 pm, 20th ‘CoolWalks has June 2014 (Adult Learners’ Week for offered a wonderful Southwark libraries). volunteers to research and plan the walks.’ Seven successful walks were held in the first phase: Films in the Borough, Literature and Green Spaces, Architecture and Industry, Eccentric Dulwich, Flora and Fauna, Myths and Legends and Regeneration.

CoolWalks returned this spring with public walks held from March through to May on themes such as Freedom and Architecture and Rebels and Rebellion.

‘The subject matter covered by the walks has been really diverse,’ says Georgina, ‘CoolWalks has offered a wonderful opportunity for myself, volunteers and walkers to feel more connected with the

36

opportunity to feel more connected with the local area and its history’

The recent CoolTan Arts Largactyl Shuffle @ Science Museum LATES project researched and led a series of guided gallery tours on mental health at the Science Museum during 2013-2014. The tours explored objects in the museum with a connection to mental health heritage, inspired by collections in the Medical, Psychology and Science Galleries. Kaya Volke, Project Volunteer Co-ordinator explained the process: ‘We were given five different themes for the tours by the LATES team. From there, we came together for discussions and came up with ideas for four guided tours and one roombased event.’

Phil Loring, BPS Curator of Psychology at the Science Museum said, ‘It’s a real testament to CoolTan that they ran with this idea and made it something special.’

An accompanying book and film documenting the project were launched at the Dana Centre in April, bringing the project to a close.

with each other. ‘I really enjoyed the walk today, which I found most informative, interesting and fun. I don’t tend to go out very often at lunchtime, however, this has encouraged me to make more of an effort to do so and I look forward to joining the next walk.’ said one walker. Another Lend Lease employee considers the walks ‘an extremely enjoyable way to spend one’s lunch break.’

In 2012, two other short-term Largactyl Shuffle also achieved great results. One was Largactyl Shuffle Junior, which worked in collaboration ‘It’s a real testament to with Bede House Youth CoolTan that they ran Group and was with this idea and made planned and led by young people it something special.’ aged from 11 to 14. The other was Largactyl Shuffle Business Walks, which was funded by Lend Lease Magazine and participated by its staff.

The latter succeeded in encouraging Lend Lease staff to take lunchtime exercise, get to know the local area and socialize

CoolTan’s latest public walk project is Van Gogh Walks (also known as At the Crossroads with Vincent) led by artist R.M. Sánchez-Camus in collaboration with arts organisation ArtAngel. Volunteers have been meeting with the artist every week since early February for interactive workshops to devise a series of walks which use the Victorian row house at 87 Hackford Road where Vincent Van Gogh resided from 1873 to 1874 as a source of inspiration to explore Van Gogh’s experience in London and CoolTan participants’ own stories in connection to Van Gogh’s. The weekly workshops have developed an audio performance for an audience of one and the project subverts the usual forms of a guided walk by inviting listeners to create their own journey through the city.

The audio file is available to download for free on the Artangel website.

If you would like to attend or volunteer with CoolTan Arts Largactyl Shuffle or with other walking projects we run from time to time, please contact Olivia: olivia@cooltanarts.org.uk or phone 020 77012696

37

DEPORTATION

By Lilian Nalumansi

It is a word that carries such might for immigrants that find themselves faced with the reality of being forcibly removed from the UK and returned to their country of origin.

became depressed and confused’ she said, during our brief conversation.

Inherent in the meaning of deportation is the use of force to remove foreign nationals from the UK for the public good.

‘When you are told you will be deported, you cannot stop thinking about it. Being told I was going to be deported was the toughest thing I ever had to deal with.

It was as though my whole world came crumbling down.

Sarah Namutosi (not real name), a Ugandan with temporary status in the UK, knows only too well the mental anguish that accompanies an imminent deportation as she has been in such situations a few times as her asylum claim is re-examined.

‘Deportation meant that I would be separated from my two small children. It was tough then and still is as my asylum claim is being re-examined. Until I get right of stay in the UK, I will never be mentally settled.’

She speaks about her nightmare experience nearly facing deportation while admitted at a Mother and Baby unit.

Sarah has also been in and out of Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire, a place she says worsened her mental distress.

‘I was in total shock when I was told I was about to be returned to Uganda. I found myself yelling and sobbing uncontrollably.

I did not want to return to Uganda but the reality was suddenly thrown into my face. I

38

Detention at Yarl’s Wood is fraught with many challenges and the media is rife with stories of inappropriate care for the emotional and mental health needs of

detainees with severe mental health problems.

Detention is said to exacerbate deportees mental illness as it is isolating in nature.

Worst for illegal immigrants is the uncertainty of medical treatment as policy on the matter is divided.

Sarah’s mental health challenges are not unique to her as several studies have shown a direct link between deportation and mental distress.

The stringent legal procedures that accompany a deportation order are said to test the psychological stamina of deportees.

Predisposition to mental distress is very likely as challenging a deportation order is extremely difficult.

Deportation synonyms include expulsion, arrest, detention, banishment, extradition, expatriation, and ejection: words that evoke fear.

Illegal immigrants including failed asylum seekers, failed refugees, visa over-stayers, foreign national offenders and illegal entrants into the UK face the highest risk of deportation.

Deportation has been cited to cause significant mental distress such as

depression, despair, anxiety, distress, stress, self-harm, trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, anger, suicidal ideation, drug addiction.

It has also been cited to cause sleeping problems and nightmares as the victim is thrust into a state of worry, anxiety and fear once a deportation order is issued.

In an academic article in the Journal for the Royal College of Psychiatrists titled Migration and Mental Illness, authors Dinesh Bhurga and Peter Jones broadly categorized the causes under macro and micro factors.

The macro factors include the premigration process intending immigrants encounter in their home countries as they prepare to move to the UK, the stringent migration process that greets them when they arrive in the UK and the difficulty in being accepted and settling in the UK. The micro factors include personality traits, psychological robustness, cultural identity and social support and acceptance from members of one’s ethnic group.

39

years with as many as 41,482 foreign nationals said to have been deported from the UK in 2011.

Upon arrival in the UK, illegal immigrants find themselves thrust into an antiimmigrant culture with politicians, media and anti-immigration organizations frequently speaking in public using words that incite fear in illegal immigrants.

Terminology such as over-stayers, public scroungers, forceful removal, crackdown, ‘go home’, no right of stay, arrest, detention and deportation becomes the everyday speech of politicians and the media that illegal immigrants have to get accustomed to hearing in reference to themselves.

As immigrant numbers have grown said to be between 860,000-1.1million currently - immigrant control has become a subject of interest to politicians and the media.

Deportation has become an important issue on the political agenda. The rate of deportations has been rising over the

Several micro factors such as the immigrant’s level of education, separation from family, their understanding of the legal and immigration process, language barrier, a fear of returning to their host country and ignorance of the immigration decisions being made while they are detained, all contribute to impact on the mental wellbeing of illegal immigrants.

It has been recognized that the risk of mental illness for deportees is very high as much as 80% - with deportees suffering one mental health problem or another or several at once.

Until a decision to deport or not deport an illegal immigrant is made, deportees are fraught with mental distress and anxiety on a daily and persistent basis.

This is especially so because deportees have no control over the matter, leaving them engulfed in a sense of helplessness.

There are varied reasons a foreigner might desist returning to their country of origin.

In Uganda’s instance the reasons could include economic, government oppression, conflict and human rights abuse.

UK organisations that offer support and advice to those facing deportation No One is Illegal: www.noii.org.uk or email info@noii.org.uk Asylum Link: www.asylumlink.org.uk Barbed Wire Britain: www.barbedwirebritain.org.uk Crossroads Womens Centre: www.crossroadswomen.net Asylum Aid: www.asylumaid.org.uk The Choices: www.choices-avr.org.uk

40

Images: Hunger Strike Graffiti by mermaid; Yarls Wood demo by See Li; Arrest by ukhomeoffice; UK border by Charles Hutchins.

Review

David Hockney Rocks!

By Poppy Shakespeare It was an odd day, tearful and sad. It was the last ever session with a psychologist who I had been working with for a year.

It may sound ‘poncy’ to some, ‘Boo hoo, poor you, no more one-to-ones with a shrink’, but I’m sure others can agree, the emotional, physical and mental benefits that a good professional can bring to a person, post ‘episode’, or breakdown, can help repair a positive sense of self, and how to be socially active in the world. When things have gone so far down, our worlds can become fractured and broken, and help is needed to get back up.

Walking out into the warm, March sunshine, blinking, unaccustomed to the sunny daylight, I was determined not to get ‘down’. Light bulb moment? Invitation on trusty I-phone, ‘come to the Dulwich Picture Gallery’, courtesy of CoolTan Arts.

I had just seen a psychologist, so now was a good time to replace negative thoughts

of not going with more functional ones, like ‘actually why not go, and see what happens?’ This had to be good; somewhere to go, new people to meet.

The meeting was to be at 1.20pm so I had to keep on the road. ‘Art for Art’s sake,’ it had to be. On the plus side, the entrance to David Hockney was free -gratis!! No more lamenting the loss of said psychologist. There was culture and company to be had.

Clutching the pink folder Sue had given me (a synopsis of the work we had done; ‘How to Manage Mood Swings’, ‘What is Paranoia?’ etc.), tears were still streaming intermittently down my face.

‘Are you off to an important meeting?’ asked the cab driver. That was funny. ‘Kind of’, I goes …

Walking a bit nervous to the doors, I was

41

met by a charming person and introduced my aim: to meet a group for the David Hockney. ‘Oh, that must be the Tour and Tea’, she goes. Tour? Tea? ‘This gets better!’ thinks me, and off we two went, in hot pursuit of the CoolTan gang.

ambled through the story in the picture.

The colours came to life and the 2D images began to almost form movement as the story, of myth and legend spoken, was interwoven for a most illuminating appraisal.

Gradually, the group assembled. A diverse, pleasant bunch, all were friendly and respectful of personal boundaries (these guys are good). The tour guide explained that the plan was to look in depth at three of the resident paintings in the gallery, then a break for tea, and onto the Hockney exhibition.

On to the second and third pictures; Rembrandt’s case study of a girl on a ledge and another of a young male, reputedly his sickly son. Again, the detail and the skill in how the paintings were constructed to produce a great work, was riveting.

Structure. It was all so well structured.

Due to the nature of my mental health condition, I need, yea, crave structure. I have to structure each activity: ‘Then, after that, this will happen …’ Each task, work and playtime, needs to slot seamlessly to the next.

After a quick sashay into the room to deposit our belongings we’d be free to roam the gallery, un-laden with baggage.

The room was spacious, light and airy, and a table was set with a great looking, tempting array of fresh fruit. We were offered cool water to drink and due to the early, summer-style heat, people gladly took up the offer of fresh mineral water.

On to the first painting and I was impressed with how knowledgeable the group were of art interpretation and art appreciation. The canvas came to life as the guide, and others in the group, talked and

42

Art has never really been ‘my thing’, it has always seemed ‘over there’, unobtainable, not for the masses, a ‘posh thing’, deliberately kept in closeted, highfalutin’ places, away from the more normal haunts of most people.

Here was the antithesis of the belief system I had hung onto for so long.

Here, the art was being explained in a language that was accessible and interesting! And as a group, we from CoolTan were treated exceptionally well.

The guides were kind, pleasant, professional and approachable.

At one juncture the guide said, ‘I wasn’t sure what you were going to be like’.

‘Horrible!’ retorted a person in the group, with a sense of humour and lack of malice. In essence, the guide had meant requirements for sitting or standing arrangements (I think), and portable stools had been strategically placed. One of the guides had picked up most of the stools and was carrying them. I offered to help and she laughed, saying ‘We can display

Dulwich Picture Gallery - Roger W Haworth Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, Girl at a Window, 1645 Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, A Young man, perhaps the Artist’s Son Titus, 1663

them like handbags’, in reference to how they were hanging on said arms.

On to the awaited tea, coffee, and fruit; ripe strawberries, green seedless grapes and black seedless grapes, with chocolate digestives and hob nobs, presented on white china plates ... bickies and tea - always pretty good, innit? CoolTan’s gang tucked in. It was all very ‘über’ civilised, sipping tea and chomping biscuits and fruit at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, and all served by our very own Art expert guides. What’s not to love?

Then, on our own devices, we were to take in the exhibition. With everyone genned up to the nines on matters Art related, and well socialised, people were happy for a bit of solitude and the chance to pursue their own ‘David Hockney fix’.

The exhibition was great, following Hockney’s work, from his prints to his painted stuff. It was fab! His lithographic prints were so prolific because the fumes from the acid he used for the technique kept him awake, so he would work ceaselessly through the night. The

explosions of colour and the technical expertise fed the soul and were like a shot of adrenaline, in a good way, jolting me from my blues before suddenly, it was time to go.

Text from Olivia at CoolTan: ‘Did you get to meet the group?’

‘Yes’ was my reply, ‘Wicked!’

I’m telling you, and this is the thing, I never had such a good time in a long time. It was a good day. To see art in all its glory, and to be treated so graciously by the enchanting hosts, was great. Good stuff has a ‘knock on effect’.

So, thank you to the people at CoolTan who make these trips a reality, and to those who get the free stuff. It is appreciated. And as I was on the bus back to Lewisham, I realised that I actually felt OK - not fantastic, or brilliant - but OK is good. Culture and ‘high art’ act as a complimentary medication.

Today, it seems like life may be consistently ‘peachy’.

David Hockney, Self Portrait, 1954, Lithograph in Five Colors, 11 1/2 x 10 1/4” Edition: 5 (approximately) © David Hockney

43

What is mental wellbeing and how do we improve it?

By Shannon Johnson

Mental wellbeing is something that we all know of but what exactly is it? Your mental wellbeing is all about your mental state which is depicted by your everyday life as well as your mood and feeling in general. So how do we improve our mental wellbeing so we can cope with life’s unexpected occurrences? How can spring time have an added boost to your mood and wellbeing?

In regards to improving and having good mental wellbeing there are said to be 5 ways to wellbeing, the first being connect (a personal favourite).

As humans it’s only natural for us to feel close to and be valued by the people around us. Face it, in this world it could be pretty lonely if you’re not but that’s what the connect aim is: to bond with others and attain a connection/relationship between yourself and others. Why not talk to your friends and family about your day and how you feel? It will probably help to get it off your chest and build a personal bond with whoever you confide in. If this is too much of a bold step for you then speaking or meeting someone new is just as effective. It will help build your confidence and interpersonal skills. Who knows, you might even meet your new best friend.

44

Wellbeing If none of these ways float your boat then be active comes in as our second way to well being. Scientists have found a significant link for physical activity lowering the rate of depression and anxiety. Why not go for a walk with colleagues and connect with them too? Go out and enjoy the spring flowers? As the seasons turn from winter to spring, you really have no excuse not to go outside, exercise, and keep active, especially with all its benefits such as: boosting your self esteem, having a sense of achievement if you have set yourself goals and having a feel good energy as you release endorphins when exercising.

Take notice is also a good way of improving your mental wellbeing.

Next time you do any activity take a moment to yourself and pay attention to what is around you and enjoy the moment. Maybe you could get a new plant to brighten things up or take a new route to work? This will alleviate those dull moments in your life and reaffirm life’s priorities.

Still not convinced by these ways of improving your mental wellbeing? Then how about learn as the fourth way to wellbeing. You could learn a new language, sign up to a new class, read the news or book or even research a topic of interest. The possibilities are endless.

Learning something new will in turn enhance your self esteem as your intelligence grows and will even encourage social interaction.

The final way to well being is give. Give your service to others, do an act of kindness and participate in social and community life. These will help improve your mood as well as helping others as it impacts you and makes you a happier being, in turn improving your wellbeing.

45

Anna Maria Amato

By Jill Spencer

Anna Maria Amato is a volunteer workshop assistant with CoolTan Arts’ Women Make Art group. She is also a prolific artist in her own right with some very interesting conceptual ideas.

Born and brought up in South London, Anna Maria has always been interested in art. ‘My mum took me to exhibitions from when I was very young. I always had a lot of encouragement from family and friends who would buy me equipment.’

Throughout childhood she developed her skills, doing exceptionally well in her A levels. She initially thought of studying Philosophy at University but eventually chose art.

Curling flight 2014

‘With art you can use it as a way of studying philosophy and psychology and a whole load of subjects – Art encompasses everything.’

On her foundation course, Anna Maria made a lot of sculpture. ‘My interest was all about the making – technical stuff to do with materials. Then I realised I was better at painting than sculpture and I began to focus more on ideas and concepts.’

She continued on to a BA course in Fine Art at Loughborough University and it was there that she found her feet as a painter. ‘I learnt more in the first tutorial on my BA than I did during the whole of my foundation course. I started by

46

Artist’s Profile doing still lifes – I was very interested in draughtsmanship.’

Since college, Anna Maria has developed a distinctive style of painting, not always on canvas. Several pieces in her series Where To Find Love are painted onto grainy wooden surfaces, the texture becoming part of the work. Her colours are deep and vivid, her brush strokes strong and confident and her compositions feature repeated motifs of trees, hands, wings and the nude female form, woven and twisted into dream-like images, which have a fleeting yet vital energy. ‘I like using oil paints because they don’t dry too quickly. You can keep working into them. I get through a lot of brushes.’

Anna Maria takes inspiration from myth and fantasy as well as language and abstract systems drawn from science and mathematics.

‘I find ideas for subjects in music I’m listening to and lyrics that I like. I have been known to take notebooks to concerts to write them down! I also use Pinterest a lot. I start with a juxtaposition of different things and the concept comes from that.’

In I am Magic, a foetus lies curled inside a keyhole, its umbilical cord is growing like a tree. In Where to Find Love, a hand contains a woman, curled like a seed. ‘The idea behind the hand is that love is as sure as life – as long as you have a life line you will also have a love line.’

Anna Maria tells me about a painting she is currently working on - a painting of Rodin’s

47

Circle of dreaming 2014

The Kiss, ‘except in my version the figures have fairy wings and are emerging from the sea. The artist Cornelia Parker made a version of this work with the figures tied up with string, which symbolised constrained love. My version is returning to an idea of primal love. Fashions change but love is something which doesn’t change throughout history.’

Another of Anna Maria’s current paintings features a woman dressed as Little Red Riding Hood.

‘The ideas are not clear yet, it’s in the early stages, but it’s to do with the way fashion complements what is beautiful about a person. The figure looks a bit ghostly – a bit dead. The picture I am basing it on is a collection of different women, in trying to fuse them into one, something goes a bit wrong, like in Frankenstein.’

Anna Maria refuses to label herself as a woman artist.

‘Being a woman is only part of a life’s story, like being a certain nationality. What is more important is who a person is as a whole and often the more mundane things are more important to who you are. When you label yourself as an artist, you should label yourself as you, not as a woman artist – being a woman artist shouldn’t be remarkable.’

Strumming my life 2011

She does feel, however, that art’s predominantly male history has made a difference to the type of work that has been produced. ‘Even though some artists, like Van Gogh, had mental health problems, the emotional life wasn’t seen as so important, because they were men.’

For the recent Women’s Day exhibition at CoolTan, Anna Maria departed from her usual medium to create a light box. ‘I used translucent paper built up in layers with writing on.

The whole sentence builds up through the layers. It’s a song lyric – I love you’.

48

Artist’s Profile Anna Maria’s influences include Georgia O’Keefe and Salvador Dali. ‘O’Keefe’s work has influenced the way I paint. I like the brush strokes and the smoothness and simplicity of her paintings’ she says, while she finds Dali’s work ‘amazingly complicated and wonderful although I also find it intimidating – I will never be able to paint like that!’

Another artist whose work Anna Maria loves is Josephine Wall. ‘She lives in England and she creates incredibly detailed paintings of fantasy fairies and subjects like that.’

It’s not only artists who inspire Anna Maria but also curators: ‘I really enjoy the themed exhibitions at the Hayward Gallery. Light Show, in early 2013, was one of my favourites. It was very well curated.’ The show, curated by Dr Cliff Lauson, featured the work of 22 artists who use light as a medium.

We move on to talk about Anna Maria’s role in the Women Make Art group. ‘Helping facilitate group with Angelica has taught me a lot in a few short weeks. Before I was at CoolTan I ran a one-off class in drawing techniques for people with mental distress in Tooting. Some people in that class were doing really well but had no confidence, which I thought was really sad. Sometimes I think I’m a bit like that too – I sometimes don’t want to show my work to friends so I think it’s not good enough to sell.’

Anna Maria would like to be a teacher so volunteering at CoolTan is great experience for her.

‘The more experience you get the more chance you have of getting work. If you do something you enjoy, you’re more likely to get a job you really like doing.’

In terms of her own art, Anna Maria would like to experiment with prisms. ‘I would like to see what happens if I reflect rainbows onto my artwork. I have tried with feng shui crystals but it didn’t quite work. I need to get a proper prism.’

It was great to meet with Anna Maria and I look forward to seeing the results of these experiments! You can view more of her artwork on her website: (http://annamariaamato.weebly.com/)

Doggerel dump o MOCKNEY COCKNEY HACKNEY HACK

Don’t mock me, I’m a cockney!

Or am I really a mockney?

Not hailing from Bow Bells’ sound,

But pretending to be from there - aroundRather than being found Out to be

A media hound.

A hack from Hackney!

LOSING EVERYTHING -

Spatial mem

means I can’t find last weeks dogger

in the bin, which i

50

Poetry

or poetry pump?

Poetry by Adrian Whyatt

ACCESSIBLE (RADAR KEY) LOO IN MCDONALD’S I stop off in McDonalds No sign of any Ronalds Wet water in the Gent’s loo So I need my RADAR key Just for a pee And a poo.

- WHERE DO I BEGIN?

mory deficit,

rel and poetry as sure as if I put it,

is a shame, in’it.

51

Local

Ann Fenn celebrates Southwark’s local and community level cultural and social events.

In the last issue of Coolfruit, Southwark Tales looked at how parts of North Southwark had changed over the last half century from industrial and dockland areas to hot real estate with lots of upmarket cultural, food and social locations. At the end I raised the question of whether the continued large scale developments and the cost of property would stifle and exclude smaller and newer creative projects.

Certainly, due to the redevelopment of London Bridge station and its surroundings, the small Southwark Playhouse has had to relocate, as have a number of music venues, art galleries, studios, etc. that were using the massive, atmospheric Victorian arches that support the station. It is unlikely, after the redevelopment, that there will be a place for less commercial arts organisations either under the station, or in nearby areas.

But there’s plenty of action going on at grass roots level elsewhere in Southwark with both new and well established projects flourishing. This time, I plan

52

“I plan to help you to find somewhere to enjoy yourself, feel good and relax!” to investigate and celebrate some of the more informal, local, community level events and activities with a stress on getting out and doing something!

Or alternatively, helping you to find somewhere to relax, feel good and do nothing!

GETTING OUT AND ABOUT IN SOUTHWARK A quick guide on where you can go to enjoy cultural or social events in North Southwark for free - or for an affordable price. Also places you can meet people, learn something new, eat at a reasonable price, or simply feel good.

FIND FRIENDLY, FEEL GOOD PLACES! They’re all over the place, just waiting for you to drop in for a chat, a browse or to get involved with something - community centres, museums, libraries, churches, galleries, arts organisations, bookshops.

All these places host interesting activities and events such as talks, art exhibitions, workshops, storytelling, music, poetry and other performances. These types of community minded venues in most cases offer their in-house events for free. There is, however, a trend for art or music groups to hire existing small cultural spaces for their productions - in which case you’ll pay a reasonable ticket price.

Impossible to list all Southwark’s friendly places, but here’s a few: CoolTan Arts! Committed to the idea that creativity has the power to promote mental wellbeing, this charity based in Walworth Road is typical of those described above. It offers a wide range of workshops, exhibitions, advice sessions, courses and activities, many of which are described or listed elsewhere in this magazine. It hasn’t got a cafe yet, but if you drop in the day that the food club’s on, you can get some good grub for £1.50! To find out more about how to join a CoolTan course or activity, turn to page 64.

Brunel Museum: It’s in Rotherhithe, which is feel good place, anyway. Apart from genning you up on Brunel and his works, the museum also hosts some excellent world music nights, literary events, an occasional pop-up restaurant and the legendary Midnight Apothecary pop-up cocktail bar on their roof top garden. The museum has its own daytime cafe, there’s the Mayflower pub opposite, and, next door, Sands Films Studio has a free Picture Research Library - covering local history, theatre and many other subjects - and a free Film Club.

53

Dragon Cafe: This pops up (Mondays only) in the crypt of St. George the Martyr Church in Borough. This project, like CoolTan, uses art to promote mental health, presenting a thought provoking diversity of art and performances - and they serve the best food and coffee in the Borough area!

always best to check. Parking can be a problem with some of the above. If you’re having problems with walking and public transport, Dial A Ride, Dulwich Help Line and Southwark Churches give transport help.

Inspire: Another cryptic location! This time the crypt of St. Peter’s Church, Liverpool Grove, SE17. Hosts various community events, activities and is at present providing a temporary home for some Cuming Museum events (the museum is in the process of being rebuilt after a fire.) Other community venues worth mentioning are Blackfriars Settlement Centre, The Beormund Centre in Bermondsey and Time and Talent in Rotherhithe.

FIND SOUTHWARK’S GREAT OUTDOORS!

Southwark Libraries: Our libraries deserve a big round of applause, not only for bringing books and people together in a warm, friendly atmosphere, but also being active and imaginative in offering other events and activities. Their newest flagship library at Canada Water has just celebrated its millionth visitor after being open just over two years, and its custom built ‘Culture Space’ studio theatre has a busy schedule of talks, readings and performances of all kinds. Its cafe is good, but a bit pricey. Other libraries also offer a wide range of creative and friendly activities, and watch out for the small Blue Anchor Library’s events when it re-opens after a re-vamp.

The libraries and most small and local venues offer disabled access and facilities, but it’s

54

Summer is a-coming in, so get up, get out of your box and into the wide open spaces! Like the rest of London, Southwark has lots of places you can enjoy the open air, great views, trees, flowers, people - and sun ... sometimes!

Here are some tips for enjoying outdoor Southwark: Take a walk: A walk along Southwark’s riverside from Bankside to Rotherhithe will give you the uplift that the Thames’ great expanse of water, air and space can always give. But also it will let you ramble through history as you pass places associated with Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, the Pilgrim Fathers, various royalty and other notables. A good way to explore Southwark is to join one of CoolTan’s now legendary Largactyl Shuffle Walks. These well organised and meticulously researched guided walks not only introduce people to the more obvious history of South London, but also specialise in revealing some of the more obscure, but fascinating, landmarks and tales about our city. See Tanya’s article on page

“Southwark Library and Southwark Park” by Ann Fenn.

30 to find out a lot more about the Shuffles!

Another group worth checking out are The Free Spirit Ramblers (Shanti-Chi) who combine story telling skills with natural environment knowledge on their walks.

Parks and Recreation: Like the rest of London, Southwark has plenty of open spaces where you can walk or just sit and enjoy the green ambience. Or, if you’re feeling energetic, do something more physical! The two large parks in North Southwark are Southwark Park in Rotherhithe, and Burgess Park, running between the Old Kent Road and Walworth Road. Southwark Park is the older park.

Founded in 1869, it has many shady, leafy areas with fine old trees, shrubs, flowers and a lake. Also it has a delightful Victorian band stand, two art galleries and a good cafe.

In the park and nearby there are sports and swimming facilities. This park is the location for the Bermondsey Carnival in July, a big but endearing local event - lots of fun, a fairground, a procession and music.

Burgess Park, following the line of a filled-in canal, has had a recent

upgrade and its wide open spaces include activity areas and a cafe. The Carnaval Del Pueblo, the biggest Latin American festival in Europe, takes place there in August.

Rural Pursuits: You don’t have to head out for green welly country, you can get your bucolic pleasures in Southwark at either Surrey Docks Farm in Rotherhithe or Walworth Garden Farm in Manor Place.

Some of the magazine group checked out Surrey Docks Farm on fine spring day and had a great time leaning on fences watching cows, sheep and pigs, being nibbled by goats, eating well in the cafe and talking to a real, live blacksmith.

(Images of this outing on page 8) If the smell of horse manure makes you feel good, there are some stables on St. James’s Road. Also, while on the subject of manure, Southwark Park and Burgess Park have allotment schemes you can get involved with and CoolTan have just started a join-in scheme at Rosendale Allotments.

CONTACTS

All the places and organisations mentioned have web sites that can easily be accessed via Google.

The Borough of Southwark has a useful website - it is www.southwark.gov.uk/outandabout and also a phone number for activities which is 0845155 9033. The newspaper, The Southwark News is also a good resource for finding out about places and events in the area.

“Aerial view” by Debot; “River curve image” by Mattbuck; “St George the Martyr” by Gordon Joly; “Playhouse” and “Horse trough” by Ann Fenn; “Carnaval” by Loz Pycock; “Surrey docks” by Steven Walling.

55

Street Theatre: No, we haven’t got a designated busker’s performance area in Southwark! But if you’re looking for places to unwind, watch the world go by and enjoy the bustle of city life, Southwark’s markets are great places to head for. There’s Borough Market, of course, first mentioned in documents in 1276, but probably much older.

Now it’s a foodie paradise with a big farmers/world food market and lots of places to eat and drink - from Thursday through to Sunday it’s full of the buzz of people shopping, meeting, talking and refreshing themselves. And, in the market area or the Cathedral precinct beside it, you might catch the occasional outdoor performance by The Lion’s Part who do Medieval and Elizabethan plays and music in the area. Or catch a pirate event at the reconstruction of Drake’s ship, the Golden Hinde, nearby on the river’s edge. Other markets worth mentioning are the worldknown Antiques Market in Bermondsey Square, just off Tower Bridge Road (for early birds, Friday mornings only!), also the very small, friendly Blue Anchor Market where you can still buy real smoked haddock! And, of course, the famous East Street Market just off Walworth Road, round the corner from CoolTan, must have its mention (see below).

gloriously multicultural and bursting with life. A walk along East Street Market and Walworth Road will make you feel good about life and the world. The maligned, but iconic, Elephant and Castle shopping centre should be seen in all its tacky glory before a scheme to improve it swings in. Enjoy some food in the small market around its base or go inside, where the Latin American and Polish communities have good food and coffee outlets.

One last example of Southwark street life must be included: the Marathon!

Each April this event gives the residents of Bermondsey and Rotherhithe a chance to have a massive street party, lining the route to cheer on the runners. The Marathon also shows a heart warming survival of the South London tradition of solidarity and togetherness with friends and family. The atmosphere is great!

ACCESSIBILITY

There is a problem about this as far outdoor places and activities are concerned. If, like me, you’re getting less mobile and having trouble walking, you can’t easily take a walk along the river or through a park or market.

Perhaps, as well as Boris Bikes, London More street life: In East Street, Walworth should have a scheme for getting older and Road and the Elephant and Castle area you disabled people out and about in parks and can catch the real, authentic, flavour of South the like! Perhaps something like the golf London. Head there before the developers style buggies they used during the Olympics get there! At present, these places are a trifle to help people around the Olympic park. shabby, full of small shops and businesses, How about it, Southwark?!

56

“Borough market” by Jeremy Keith; “Elephant” by C Ford.

Positive Change Exhibition

Marjorie MacClean Famous Boxer

Sandi Hawkings Boys and Girls

Amy Bradshaw Positive Women, Positive Change Orla Price Against the Current

Howard Luke Escape

Positive Change was the most recent exhibition at CoolTan Arts, timed to coincide with International Women’s Day

Lynn Hughes Untitled

Tony Yeron Untitled I

Mike Fox Janis

William Ball England’s Paris

Julian Rosskelly Purple Movement

Positive Change Exhibition

Sue Howely Untitled II

Graeme Newton Votes for Women

Saffron Saidi Women Photographers of Our Time I Horacio Bento Untitled

Silvia Giachetti Untitled

Look out for our next exhibition, Summertime Blues, opening on Saturday 14th June (see advert on page 10)

Books for Mental Wellbeing Hattie Lucas

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankyl

Frankyl was a psychiatrist who survived the concentration camps during WWII. His theory of ‘logotherapy’ came out of what he observed of human behaviour in the camps. The book was sent to me by a family friend during a difficult time and it showed me that one can find meaning in suffering. Despite its subject matter, the book is uplifting and life-changing.

The Compassionate Mind by Professor Paul Gilbert

Gilbert has also written a great book about depression in which he suggests similar techniques. The concept is, unsurprisingly, one of compassion towards oneself when dealing with mental distress. He calls it Compassion Focused Therapy and it involves visualization exercises among other techniques. He explains that we thrive on caring behavior rather than our inner critic.

Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers

A book about conquering your fears, big or small. An editor who rejected the book for publication told Jeffers that ‘Princess Diana could be cycling naked down the road giving it away’ and still no one would want to read it. The book has sold over 13 million copies and is perhaps the most well-known self-help book of all time.

The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything by Sir Ken Robinson Robinson is an international advisor on education in the arts to government and other bodies. He describes people being in their ‘element’, which is when personal talent meets personal passion. This is often called ‘flow’, when you are doing something that engrosses you to the point where you have no concept of time passing. Robinson uses case studies and interviews to make the case for every one seeking their passion.

60

Wellbeing Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg

An excellent book, not just for writers, but for anyone who needs a little encouragement to be creative. Goldberg encourages writing for writing’s sake and not worrying too much about whether what you are creating is ‘good’.

Prozac Nation: Young and Depressed in America by Elizabeth Wurtzel

Wurtzel wrote this memoir when she was in her twenties about her time studying at Harvard. The book describes emotions and feelings that I had thought unique to me. I found it hugely comforting to read about someone who had gone through similar things to me. A friend of mine claims to have read it five times. It is darkly funny in places. Wurtzel is a superb writer and incredibly smart.

I’m OK, You’re OK by Thomas A. Harris

Published in 1969, the book introduces a theory about how we interact with each other. It’s an excellent read for those wanting to know and understand what makes people behave the way they do. I often think about the ideas put forward in the book and use them in daily life – definitely the sign of a good book.

Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel

A graphic novel/memoir by best-selling author of Fun Home. It’s a psychological analysis of Bechdel’s relationship with her mother. Anyone who has had a turbulent relationship with their mother should read it!

Happier by Tal Ben-Shahar

This positive psychology book was written by a Professor at Harvard University based on courses he ran there. The courses were among the most popular in the university’s history. Ben-Shahar asks on the cover: ‘can you learn to be happy?’

He says yes.

How To Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

Probably the funniest book I have ever read. Moran writes for the Sunday Times magazine and this is more of a memoir which charts her childhood up to the present day. She also has some insightful and interesting views about gender. But mostly this is a book that you will laugh out loud at.

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Many people have recommended this book to me and it’s good for anyone who wants to release their creative side. Cameron takes you through a twelve-week course to re-familiarise yourself with the creative process.

‘I go through a three stage process when it comes to finding books that I want: first, I check the Southwark Libraries catalogue. If none of the libraries have the book I want, I go to Abe Books. They have thousands of second-hand books for sale and it’s cheaper (on the whole) than Amazon. I have often got books for around £3 (including post and packaging) from there. Amazon is usually my last port of call if Abe books don’t have the book I want.’

61

Creative products from CoolTan Arts

Greeting Cards

£2.50 Each - Dimensions 11cm x 15cm This is a small selection, we have many more designs available.

Free shipping and 20% discount on orders of 3 or more cards.

CoolTan Books Food for Mood CoolTan Books, price £9.99 A uniquely creative cookbook from CoolTan Arts, which will inspire you to cook and eat well whatever your mood!

Anthropology

by the CoolTan Poets CoolTan Books, price £5.99 An anthology of poetry by members of the poetry group at CoolTan Arts. ... a book of brilliant growling poems, dandified wild work ... funny, witty, moving, political, sassy, wise - Ali Smith

Diagnosis: Hysteria?

Prescription: Hysteria!

A Postcard to the World

CoolTan Books, price £7.50 A beautiful collection of 14 original postcard artworks, created for our ‘A Postcard to the World’ mail art project.

62

Poems by the Women of CoolTan Arts CoolTan Books, price £5.99 An anthology of poems by the participants of the CoolTan Arts Women’s Poetry Group and some of the female staff and volunteers who work there.

All items are available through CoolTan’s online shop, CoolTrade, or directly from CoolTan Arts reception.

Drop in or contact olivia@cooltanarts.org.uk or phone 020 7701 2696

Textiles Aprons

Teatowel

Canvas bag

£10.50

£6.50

£5.50

Dickensian inspired design created for CoolTan’s Dickens News project. More designs are available.

Teatowel

Fairy Bag

£10.50

100% cotton, printed with a fun, colourful design by CoolTan artists.

£10.00

Beautiful reproduction of a classic CoolTan artwork.

100% cotton canvas.

More designs are available.

More designs of teatowels and bags are available.

Largactyl Shuffle Products

Largactyl Shuffle Products come in our CoolTan orange with grey reflective straps.

High Vis Vest £15.00 Our Largactyl Shuffle logo is included in the front and back of the vest.

Rucksack

£19.99

High visibility and water repellent.

63

Getting involved with Joining a Workshop At CoolTan Arts we offer a wide range of activities including visual arts, poetry, cooking, textiles, computer skills, walking ... Workshops are funded in different ways, so some workshops are free and open to everyone, and for others there is a fee to pay, or they are set up to support certain people.

If you have general questions about workshops or would like a copy of the latest timetable, you can come in and speak to our reception volunteers, or to Olivia Moyes, our Admin Officer. You can also ring her on 0207 701 2696, or email olivia@cooltanarts.org.uk You will be asked to fill in a registration form before you can attend a workshop.

If you have a social worker or are with a CMHT and are interested in joining a workshop, your registration form will be passed onto Karen Unrue, Community Involvement Advocacy Coordinator: karencooltanarts@ gmail.com or phone 0207 701 2696. Karen will contact you with more info about how to start at CoolTan Arts.

Most workshops are advertised on our website: www.cooltanarts.org.uk and in our monthly newsletter, along with information about who the workshops are for and if you need to pay.

Volunteering at CoolTan Gain a unique experience with a lively independent Arts organisation!

Make friends, have fun, learn work skills and brush up on your talents in a safe, supportive environment.

We usually have a wide variety of volunteering opportunities ranging from practical activities to admin and reception, graphic design to workshop assistants. We also have various volunteering roles with specific projects. There are lots of training opportunities, tailored to your volunteer role, and we pay up to ÂŁ4.40 travel expenses per day.

Opportunities are advertised on our website: www.cooltanarts.org.uk and in our monthly newsletter. You can also call in to CoolTan and ask to see the volunteering bulletin with all the latest roles in it.

To find out more about volunteering or to apply for a role, please contact our volunteer coordinator Rachel Ball: rachel@cooltanarts. org.uk or ring 020 701 2696. You will be invited to attend a Volunteer Induction Session with Rachel, these are held on Mondays at 12.30pm.

CoolTan Arts welcomes volunteers with disabilities.

If you would like to sign up for the monthly newsletter (sent to your email) please contact olivia@cooltanarts.org.uk or phone 0207 701 2696.

We Need Your Help!

If you have enjoyed this magazine, please consider making a donation to CoolTan Arts.

In the last year we have supported over 800 individuals face to face despite having our core funding cut by 100%.

To ensure our continuation well into the future we still need your help to enable us to continue supporting people. Just £2 a week donation from everyone on our mailing list would replace the £80,000 a year income we lost from our Service Level Agreement with the Council.

So please get involved, dig deep and donate now!

Ways to donate: • • • other

Donate securely using JustGiving: www.justgiving.com/cooltanarts Use the form below to make a one-off or monthly donation Donate by text: Simply send COOL96 £3 to 70070 to make a £3 donation, or any £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10. It’s quick and simple!

47

CoolTan Arts believes mental wellbeing is enhanced by the power of creativity

HOW TO FIND US CoolTan Arts Third Floor 224-236 Walworth Road London SE17 1JE 020 7701 2696 or 0798 5658443 Email: info@cooltanarts.org.uk Web: www.cooltanarts.org.uk Tel:

*We are to the right of the main post office between a Specsavers Optician and Paul’s Discount Store. To enter the building press 6 and the bell icon. Inside there is a lift (press 3 in lift) or stairs which you can take to the third floor.

CoolTan Arts are there on the right.

* The nearest tube station is Elephant & Castle which is approximately a ten minute walk. *Buses from Elephant & Castle and Camberwell (get off at East Street stop) 12, 35, 40, 45, 68, 148, 171, 176, 468 & P5

CoolTan Arts Entrance

With thanks to our funders and sponsors

Member of Mental Health Providers Forum, Locality, NSUN and LAHF

We are proud to have as Patrons: Arthur Smith, Maggi Hambling, Ali Smith, Clare Allen and Rosemary Shrager Registered charity number 1064231, Company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales reg. 3244552