Feel Great... Create!, Blacon, Chester

• Craft • 6 participants • 5 sessions (November - December 2021)

Enable activity to restart Bring communities together Funding will ensure people feel safe participating

Radiate Arts offer community-based, participant-led creative activities that address isolation and support those recovering from trauma, mental and physical illness via partner referral. Activities grow from within the community, with suggestions and the direction each course discussed with existing members.

“Through creative activities, domestic abuse survivors can make sense of and find their way out of chaos, frightful memories, and the raw emotion of their abuse to discover a sense of grounding, strength, safety, understanding, and hope. They can begin on a path towards healing and recovery free of abuse, violence, and control. Our weekly workshops have had a tremendous impact on the confidence, self-worth and inner strength of these women, and have strengthened relationships within the group.” - Lead

Funding enabled five craft sessions to be held at the wellbeing hub:

• Workshop 1: Positive steps • Workshop 2: African/companion canvas art • Workshop 3: Christmas cards and décor • Workshop 4: Lantern making • Workshop 5: Wreath making

Participants’ feedback and comments:

“I’ve never done paintings like this before, it’s very freeing.”

“I never would have thought to paint this way, I’m really happy with what I’ve made.”

“This has been my favourite workshop so far. I’m going to do these activities at home with my son.”

“I’m really happy with what I’ve made, it’s so much easier than I expected”.

“Today has been really relaxing, I’m so glad I did this.”

“It was rewarding to see the relationships develop across the 5 weeks, from a small group of people who did not know each other and were apprehensive as to their expectations, to a group of people that got along together, developed friendships, chatted, shared stories and problems.” - Leader