Tuesday 12 March 2024

Powys Substance Use Harm Reduction Plan launch

Linda Hutchings, Brecon peer support worker

“Developing a partnership response to Harm Reduction across Powys 
to meet the needs of people with drug and alcohol concerns.”

The first thing I picked up at this Harm Reduction Plan launch recently was a flyer about nitazenes (synthetic opioids known for their potent nature) and the changing face of heroin. I hadn’t even pinned on my attendee badge. The bizarre names of drugs like naloxone (a potentially life-saving medication) and nitazene (an extremely harmful drug) were scattered throughout the day and I realised I had a lot to learn.

Fortunately this highly informative day at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod brought together a multitude of statutory and voluntary sector agencies with a wealth of knowledge and experience around substance misuse. But perhaps even more importantly it called upon those with the lived experience of the harm that can be caused by substance misuse - be that alcohol or drugs - and the often catastrophic effects resulting in damaged mental and physical health, relationships, living arrangements (homelessness and debt being extreme but not unusual outcomes) and an increased likelihood of coming into contact with the criminal justice system.

Jan Roberts (Suicide Prevention, Harm Reduction & Postvention Quality Improvement Lead), Joy Garfitt (Interim Executive Director of Operations, Mental Health Services) & Carol Daly (Harm Prevention & Reduction Lead - Substance Misuse)
Powys Teaching Health Board

Joy Garfitt, Interim Executive Director of Operations - Mental Health Services in Powys, and chair of the Area Planning Board, welcomed everyone. She explained that the APB brought together agencies across the county with the shared ambition of reducing harm from substance use. (There is a longer definition in the Welsh Government document Working together to reduce harm). The APB plans, commissions and delivers services and also brings networks together. As Joy explained, Powys is actually as long as the distance between the Severn Bridge and the Marble Arch, so this is quite challenging!




What is harm reduction and how can it benefit Powys - Rick Lines, Public Health Wales, Head of Programmes, Substance Use

Rick described how he was first introduced to harm reduction 30 years ago in his hometown of Toronto in Canada. He worked supporting prisoners who, he explained, were inevitably using drugs. His experience supporting people who had been traumatised by early life events, and went on to use drugs, led him to ask in court: “Have you heard this woman’s story? Why is the state looking at it through the context of drugs?” Rick highlighted that putting this particular woman in prison repeated the trauma she had experienced from authority figures when she was a child.

Rick saw the same scenario play out when he later worked in Eastern Europe. He said 90% of drug use is not problematic (how many people do we know who use alcohol on a regular basis socially…?) and asked what we can do to reduce deaths, to show that we care whether people live or die, and to help reduce the risk of using drugs in a risky fashion. We should be respecting the dignity of people who use drugs by providing services, and reducing feelings of vulnerability and stigma.

Recent concerns are around changes in the drug market whereby synthetic and highly dangerous drugs (like nitazenes) are increasingly coming onto the market. Rick championed the ongoing work in the 3rd sector and community pharmacies to provide harm reduction services - “it is the people on the ground who are making the difference”.

Welsh Government policy is committed to harm reduction, and is unique in the United Kingdom, and rare in the world. This policy influences how the police, prisons and partners regard substance use and filters down to the statutory and community organisations.




Current position in Powys and the focus of Harm Reduction - Carol Daly, Harm Prevention and Reduction Lead (Substance Misuse)

Carol’s aim is to set up a multi-agency Powys Harm Reduction sub-group (one of seven across Wales) to drive action across the county. This would draw on the knowledge of local organisations to deliver the key priorities, including:

Supporting the work of the Health Board in working to the World Health Organisation's global aim of eliminating Blood Borne Viruses by 2030. Powys is rolling out treatment and testing for people at risk of Blood Borne Viruses such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C.
  • Training up peer supporters and carers.
  • Developing pharmacy services to increase the uptake of Needle and Syringe Provision and Blood Borne Virus Testing.
  • Raising awareness of the real risks of synthetic drugs coming onto the market.
  • Increasing availability of Naloxone across partner agencies.
  • Addressing the stigma (it was again pointed out that most people use some sort of substance, for example, alcohol).
  • Prevention - the APB has commissioned services to educate children and young people about drugs, and Carol is working with Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to increase knowledge of new synthetic opiates.

This important agenda would save lives - and has saved thousands of lives already with the information and tools to help people who take drugs do so in a safer manner.

During discussion Barry Eveleigh from Kaleidoscope (the local substance misuse service provider) highlighted the financial element - if you can keep someone out of A&E you can save £2000. A liver transplant is £150,000. It costs £1000 a week to keep someone in prison. In comparison to these figures the costs of providing safe drug alternatives are minor.

There were also questions about decriminalising drugs as has happened in other countries such as Portugal, where the person using drugs is regarded as a patient rather than a criminal. Michael Curties from the Welsh Government explained that the criminal justice system is not devolved to Wales so this is not an option open to the Welsh Government.




What’s already being done and what are our priorities? - Neville Brookes, Area Planning Board Manager

Neville asked: “how can co-production work with this agenda?” We need to learn from people with lived experience, and spend time with individuals in the treatment system. “Who better to talk to when waiting for a service than another peer?”

Peers design relapse prevention programmes - they know what works. If people become part of a peer mentor programme they often give back to services and there is an onward pathway to work within the field if they choose.

He also said:
  • Harm reduction should be on all our agendas - not just thought of as a clinical intervention.
  • Out of hours community support is needed (this was identified by focus groups).
  • We need to simplify the service so that individuals have a single pathway.
The overall outcome would be to enhance and improve systems and processes for everyone involved.




How we use peers, with lived experience, to enhance service provision - Elwyn Thomas, Co-production Lead, Kaleidoscope

Elwyn has been in post for 18 months now. He started as a peer on a script in a prison cell. He worked on a Welsh Government peer to peer support project providing the heroin substitute naloxone - over an 8 week period 237 kits were delivered! Amazingly eighty people did not even know that it existed.

There are now seven teams across Wales delivering this important service. Everyone was trained in just a year, and other initiatives have also been put into place including creating pathways to treatment and needle exchange schemes. Elwyn spoke of how people’s esteem and self-worth was raised after having access to the training, with peer uniforms (branded “ask me about Naloxone”) and lanyards breaking barriers.

In 2 years the delivery of harm reduction has changed massively in Wales, from prescribed scripts from nurses to working alongside peers.

Linda Hutchings, a Brecon peer, has lived experience for many years using drugs but is now drug free. She agreed that people can be the best they can be with training and involvement. She is now accepted in her community, not as a drug addict, but as someone with lived experience. “I built up belief in myself as I didn’t have any.” Linda started work with peer mentoring service Cyfle Cymru on 8 February.




Round table discussions & feedback

In round table discussions we looked closely at Powys challenges and priorities. The top three challenges on our table were: rurality, silos and stigma. We were very keen to promote the idea of a support bus which could travel the whole length of the county, the distance from the Severn Bridge to Marble Arch - and back again!

Our priorities were - prevention, communication and collaboration. We agreed that it was important to reach out into the community (it’s that bus again!) rather than expect people to come to us.




Overall it felt that there was a great enthusiasm in the room for genuine collaboration and partnership working to make real change so that people using drugs and alcohol, for whatever reason, could live well in the county.




Closing remarks - Michael Curties, Substance Misuse Policy Team, Welsh Government

Michael raised many relevant and important topics in his summing up in relation to the APB, data sharing, working more closely with GPs and prevention, etc. To finish off I’ll highlight just a couple of his comments that particularly resonated with me:

The Harm Reduction challenge is the same as it is for all other services - we solve it by working together. “How do we get to the point where there is no wrong door? Where people walk in and get a service wherever they are?”

“Coproduction is about learning - what do we say that gets in your way? We need to hear if there are those barriers. Ask - can we do it differently?”

I look forward to finding out more about developing drug and alcohol services in Powys as Carol continues her vital work on the Harm Reduction plan.




You find out more about Alcohol and Substance Misuse resources


Tuesday 30 January 2024

Area 43 – Powys schools & community-based counselling services


Lisa Head is the Communications & Engagement Manager, she has been at the charity Area 43 since 2017. She joined the organisation as a Senior Youth Support Worker, then moved to Centre Manager, Services Manager and Operations Manager, before commencing her current role. Area 43 provides safe spaces, information, support, counselling and training to young people aged 11 – 25 at their flagship Youth Café, Depot in Cardigan in West Wales. Their counselling services span the whole of the mid and west Wales area supporting children and young people aged 3 – 30.

In October 2023 Area 43 became the new provider of Independent School and Community Based Counselling Services for Powys.

I recently met up with Lisa to find out more about the work of Area 43.


What drew you to your role at Area 43?

It’s a long story. I am a single parent of 2 girls, one of which was particularly challenging when she was younger. They are both in their 20s now, but when they were little, I was so disillusioned by the lack of support available to children, young people and their families that I embarked on an Open University degree to learn how to support my children better. It began as something I was doing for my own personal interest, but the more I learned, the more I realised I could do to help others in my community.

In 2011, I set up a youth club in the village where I lived, the young people wanted to launch the club with a mini music festival, so they worked with me to plan, coordinate and manage the event. I had a background in Arts Marketing, so I had the marketing and events management knowledge and plenty of contacts who were happy to perform. We attracted over 1000 visitors and the youth club went from strength to strength. I ran the club for about 8 years and over that time we expanded on the music festival idea to re-establish a village carnival, with young people in the lead. We ran that event 3 times.

I had known about the work of Area 43 for a long time, but at that time they only worked with 16 – 25 year olds and my children were much younger. However, when I saw the Senior Youth Support Worker role advertised early in 2017, I jumped at the opportunity to join the team and put all my learning and experience into practice.

During the lockdowns of the Covid pandemic, Area 43 took the opportunity to conduct a large-scale consultation with young people in the Ceredigion area to ask them what they felt they needed in Cardigan. They overwhelmingly told us that they needed safe spaces and an affordable café, where they could hang out and socialise without the pressure of having to spend money or feeling that they are not welcome… And so, Depot was the result.




Tell us briefly how Area 43 came about

Area 43 was born out of a community needs-led project in 1996. Back then there were 30 odd pubs in Cardigan and all the young people were hanging around playing pool and there were issues with them not going to school or college. It was identified that they really needed a place to go to that was not alcohol-fuelled or potentially putting them at risk. A group came together to put in a lottery bid to establish Cardigan Youth Project. They were successful in receiving lottery money and it snowballed from there.

From the early days, we had volunteers and eventually staff – including counsellors and support workers. We were quite early in offering counselling to young disadvantaged people in this area. When it became statutory law in Wales to offer counselling in schools in 2008 we were successful in tendering for a couple of those contracts because of this experience, and have held on to most of those ever since.

We now deliver services throughout Powys, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion and will see in the region of 5000+ individuals this year.

There are a total of 30 counsellors and therapists in Powys and another 28 covering West Wales. When Area 43 recently took over the contract from Kooth, most of the staff transferred over, so they all have plenty of experience with young people in the Powys area.

How can counselling help children and young people who may be struggling with their mental health?

Area 43’s counselling service is delivered by highly trained professionals and managed by people who fully understand the values, aims and limitations of counselling.

Counselling can allow a space for children and young people where they feel they are not judged and offers the opportunity to increase self-awareness, develop personal resources and understand their problems. It is a skilled way of helping those with personal, emotional and developmental issues or difficulties that takes place in a safe and confidential environment. This allows them to explore, discover and embed strategies to cope with change and live in a more satisfying, resourceful way.

By helping children and young people to share their worries and concerns with a counsellor or therapist, the young person can gain a better understanding of themselves, making sense of what they are experiencing, which helps them gain clarity and build resilience within themselves.

How is the school counselling going in Powys and what do you offer?

Thanks to the great team that Area 43 inherited from the previous provider, our service is running seamlessly. Area 43 will continue to provide counselling services for all eligible young people to the age of 25. The Powys model works slightly differently from the west Wales model, but essentially there are counsellors and therapists in all the secondary school settings and selected primaries.

Counselling is predominantly delivered face to face with the flexibility for online provision for those aged 10 – 19 (year 6 to Year 13) in education settings, but there is also an option for up to 25 year-olds to access counselling support either online or in the community.

All young people in Powys up to age 25 are eligible to access the counselling service.

We have 20 counsellors and therapists available for 37 days per week in secondary schools, 11 counsellors and therapists based in 15 of the primary school settings and we provide at least 3 days per week of online or community counselling sessions.




How are children and young people in Powys referred for counselling support?

Whilst parents and professionals can use our referral forms, any young person can register in exactly the same way and we encourage self-referral. It helps young people to feel ownership of the counselling support and let’s be honest, counselling or therapy isn’t something that can be done to somebody, it’s a meaningful, emotional process that takes a lot of commitment and vulnerability.

Referral forms, support resources and counselling information to help children, young people, parents and education staff to have discussions about counselling and decide whether it is suitable for them can be accessed through the Area 43 website page Powys Counselling.

Tell us more about the Youth Café you run in Cardigan

It’s about driving young people’s dreams forward, allowing their voice, hearing them and acting upon their needs. We utilised the lockdown scenario to do some online consultation and canvassed young people in the whole of our area as well as external services, to see what they would like from Area 43. Young people told us overwhelmingly that they needed safe spaces to hang out and socialise with friends where caring professionals could offer alternative views and provide additional support.

They also explained that they didn’t feel welcome in the town centre cafés - they felt stigmatised walking in as a group. The result of the consultation is Depot, which is led by young people for young people - it is their space, we just facilitate it and keep it safe.

In the youth café, young people don’t need to buy anything, they can just come in to keep warm and see other people. We heavily subsidise the cost of food and drink. We have managed to access some food poverty grants to keep costs as low as we can, and we work with Neighbourly and Fareshare for surplus foods, so we are often able to offer free meals.

Our Cardigan building is open 6 days a week up to 7pm for 14 – 25 year olds, we also hold transition sessions on Saturday mornings for 11 – 13 year olds. There are young people out there essentially living independently at the age of 14 – 16 including homeless young people, sofa surfing or sleeping rough. They come to Area 43 to stay warm, have human contact, receive support from our team, and link up with existing specialist services - drugs and alcohol, or housing options, and we facilitate this.

We also offer supported paid work placements for young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) to help them develop the skills to progress into the workplace from a safe, supportive environment where they can make mistakes and learn from them without dire consequences.

Do you have plans to develop and expand your offer in Powys?


We are working closely with Powys County Council, watch this space…




What are the main challenges working in this field?

I guess the main issue is securing consistent funding to provide these essential services. There is no doubt that the need for mental health support is very real. Whilst talking about mental health difficulties more openly has decreased the stigma, it has also opened the floodgates, and the need for support and counselling services means the demand is great and waiting lists across the sector are growing.

Contracts for counselling services go through a competitive tendering process and although we support the campaign by Young Minds and Dr Alex George (UK Youth Mental Health Ambassador) to obtain statutory funding for early intervention mental health hubs, we are still heavily reliant upon grant funders like the National Lottery.

Tell us about some of the most rewarding work you have done at Area 43

Seeing the Youth Café come to fruition is a proud achievement, we see over 200 young people every week, and last year had over 1600 visitors, it’s amazing and proves how much the safe space is needed by young people.

The most rewarding work is the direct work with young people, slowly building trust, and learning about them, their needs, background and challenges. Then having the honour of being permitted to walk with them on their journey and see them grow as they navigate the obstacles, dramas and emotions that fall in their way. I have seen some young people come from the most distressing situations where they have a lack of supportive adults at home, a tough time in education (if they attend), and substance misuse, bullying or other abuse in their lives, manage to find themselves and their strength because they learned that they had someone they could trust, who believed them and wanted the best for them. It’s amazing what young people can achieve with the right support if they want to.

How do you like spending your time when you’re not working?

I like peace and quiet and the opportunity to rejuvenate when I’m not working. I love a spa day! I also like to curl up in a cosy armchair with a book or to get out in nature, walk with my dogs on the beach or through the woods.

Feedback from children & young people who have been supported by Area 43 

About counselling and therapy

"Helped me release all me feeling and emotions."

"It has been helpful to be able to talk to someone. It has helped all the negative energy and thoughts to disappear."

"It helped me by boosting my self-esteem and giving me more confidence in making the right choices for myself, it also really helped with my family and friends relationships which i am thankful for."

"It was good to have someone to talk when my anxiety was a problem. I was able to work out how to control my anxiety and now have way to stop it."

About the Youth Café

“The first time I went to the Youth Café I was an upset teenager determined not to speak to anyone. But after a Youth Support Worker coming up to chat with me I opened up more than I had in a while. I felt a lot lighter when I left.”

“Coming here (Depot) for the past 3 years has done more for my confidence than almost a decade of support groups.”

“I feel that Depot youth café is a treasure to the community for young people, as a mental health sufferer this place has helped me get out of a dark place, the support I have received from the youth workers has changed me massively in ways I didn't think was possible. I've made new friends, I've learned to accept myself for my self with my mental illness and I don't feel like I'm figuring it out anymore. I have started to come out the house more as I'm less anxious of the outside world."




Many thanks to Lisa for telling us about the work of Area 43. 
If you want to find out more you can contact Lisa by emailing lisa@area43.co.uk

There is also further information on the Area 43 website including an online referral form.

Wednesday 17 January 2024

The future of the Wales Mental Health & Wellbeing Forum

John Lilley (Individual Representative, Mental Health) and Josh Beynon (Practice Solutions)

Improving mental health and wellbeing by respecting and 
empowering people to influence decision making

The Wales Mental Health and Wellbeing Forum is made up of people with lived experience of mental health issues and their friends and families. The members come from a range of different backgrounds and reflect the diversity of the people of Wales. Here in Powys John Lilley - more from him below - joins Rhydian and Sally to bring the voice of Powys service users and carers to the table.

Forum members work collaboratively with other key stakeholders to influence Welsh Government policy by using the skills, knowledge and experience they have gained within the field of mental health. They play a very important role in helping shape future mental health services within Wales.

We recently heard that Practice Solutions Ltd, the organisation which has provided support to the Forum over recent years, has been awarded the tender to support the Wales Mental Health and Wellbeing Forum for the next 3 years.

Since the Forum started working on the contract with Practice Solutions it has gone from strength to strength and a huge part of this has come from the fact that Practice Solutions staff have instilled in members that it is their Forum and they should lead the direction of the work and how this looks in the future. The members are then able to use the knowledge and experience of Practice Solutions’ staff to inform and guide them in the best way forward when developing projects.

Since the Forum started working with Practice Solutions there have been lots of exciting developments. The Forum changed its name from the National Mental Health Forum to the Wales Mental Health and Wellbeing Forum. It was felt that this better represented the Forum’s work focus - what happens within services in Wales.

John Lilley chairing a Wales Mental Health & Wellbeing forum meeting

The Forum also designed their own logo and branding which is now used on their promotional material and on their social media platforms and this enables the Forum to create a professional image when speaking to organisations.

With guidance from Practice Solutions' staff the Forum also established separate working groups alongside the quarterly meetings and these included Communications & Marketing, Future Planning & Recruitment, and Reward & Engagement. These groups enable some of the members to focus on particular aspects of the Forum such as designing a logo or their website, promoting the Forum and attending events. Proposals and ideas are taken to the main quarterly meeting for agreement and voting by all members.

Another huge part of the Forum’s growth has involved the development of the website which allows members to inform people about their work, share good news stories, promote events and publish some of the papers that the Forum has produced. The Forum has also been privileged to have members share their mental health journey through the production of digital stories. These can be extremely powerful in highlighting the issues that people with mental health face.

The Forum is looking forward to continuing its work with Practice Solutions and seeing where the future journey takes them. Onwards and upwards…!

Josh Beynon, who is an Associate at Practice Solutions, and provides support to the Forum as part of his role, says: “It’s great to be supporting and working with the forum again to improve services and put the voice of service users and carers at the heart of decision making”.

John Lilley, Individual Rep Mental Health,
 at a Shared Power training session last year

John Lilley is the expert on the Forum locally here in Powys as he has been a member for several years now. He says: “I became a Mental Health Service User Representative as I felt my experience as a service user, and as someone with lived experience of mental health issues, could help to give a voice and attempt to improve access and care within the mental health services.

I was diagnosed with bi-polar in 2013 and before that with clinical depression as a result of life changing neurosurgery in 2000. After a three month stay as a patient in Bronllys, and attending Patients’ Council meetings whilst there, I decided that following recovery I would join Powys Patients’ Council as a volunteer. I believe this helped in my recovery and boosted my self-esteem and confidence.

After being a volunteer for over 5 years I became a Mental Health Service User Representative in Powys in 2021. During my time as a rep I have also joined the Wales Mental Health and Wellbeing Forum to represent Powys. This national forum meets regularly and reports to the Welsh Government on issues affecting service users and carers locally. I have also been a member of the Powys Crisis Care forum which oversees the delivery of the Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat in Powys. This measures the effectiveness of how Powys deals with people in Mental Health Crisis.”

Thursday 4 January 2024

New Year Nature challenges for improved wellbeing

Plast Off! litter pick - Radnorshire Wildlife Trust volunteers

It can be easy at this time of year to retreat into a cosy home or bury ourselves in work. Living through some of the shortest days of the year in challenging weather conditions can seem relentless sometimes (though - fingers crossed - we are promised a drier spell is on the cards for the rest of January 2024!) And winter weather conditions can definitely impact on our mental health. So, what can we do to renew, refresh and generally feel better about life at the start of 2024?

For some people, after the excesses of the festive season, it’s time to take on a new challenge

This could be changing or adapting our diet with a dip into Veganuary “for a greener planet, lower food bills, better health and kindness to animals”.

Giving up alcohol for January is also a popular option with Dry January encouraging growing numbers to go sober to start the new year “for a body and mind reset”. Others determined to improve both their physical health and emotional wellbeing opt for new exercise routines - perhaps they join a gym, try a new sport or sign up for online classes or the local weekly Parkrun.

Yet another option, and one we want to explore more here, is getting outdoors to appreciate and do our bit for Nature in this, our wonderful county of Powys!

Here are some activities, (along with details of helpful organisations), that can encourage just that, with the added benefit of social interaction in most cases for those that want to make new friends (or just meet up with family and friends to take part). Litter picking, bird watching and wildlife walking are all suitable too for those needing some space, perhaps time for themselves to recharge their batteries, after a busy or draining festive time - many people have to work through the winter break after all!




Plast Off! litter pick - Radnorshire Wildlife Trust - 13 January


Kick-start your New Year with a litter pick and do something positive for local wildlife! Join Radnorshire Wildlife Trust and the Lakeside Boathouse on Saturday 13th January in Llandrindod Wells anytime between 10am until 1pm. Free hot drinks will be provided for those taking part!

Plast Off! is a Wales wide event, organised by Stand for Nature Wales youth groups around the country. The aim is to remove plastic and other litter from the environment that could cause harm to our wildlife.

There is no need to book this event, just turn up! This event is in association with the Lakeside Boathouse.

More information HERE.




Big Garden Birdwatch from the RSPB - 26 - 28 January

Join the world’s largest garden wildlife survey!

Every year, hundreds of thousands of nature lovers take part, helping to build a picture of how garden birds are faring.

All you have to do is spend an hour watching the birds in your patch, between 26 and 28 January, and record the birds that land (so not those which just fly by). Then you can record your sightings on the RSPB website.

Last year half a million people took part in the Big Garden Birdwatch recording an amazing 9.1 million birds! House sparrow took the top spot. Which birds will you spot on your patch this year…?

More information HERE.




Wildlife walking - Winter Bird Walk in Builth Wells with South & West Wales Wildlife Trust - 10 February

A four hour walk from Builth Wells to spot resident and visiting winter birds with the County Recorder for Brecknock, Andrew King. With a mixture of habitats including the River Wye, woodland, and farmland there is a chance to see a wide variety of birds.

Please bring your own binoculars and wear warm wet weather gear and appropriate footwear. Also bring some snacks or lunch and a drink. Please note that dogs are not allowed on this walk.

More information and booking online (essential) HERE.




Nature reserve maintenance - local wildlife trusts, ongoing

Our local wildlife trusts are always on the lookout for keen volunteers to help look after the many and varied reserves in the county. What better way to keep fit, meet like-minded people and see some of the stunning wildlife we share this beautiful county of Powys with?

If you are interested then contact your nearest wildlife trust:

North Powys - Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust

Mid Powys - Radnorshire Wildlife Trust

South Powys - Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales




Spring Clean Cymru with Keep Wales Tidy - 15 - 3 March

Spring Clean Cymru is part of the Great British Spring Clean, the nation’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign.

7,000 “litter heroes” collected more than 4,000 bags of litter and recycling last year!

“Keep Wales Tidy believe that everyone deserves to live in a community they can be proud of but according to UK figures, less than half of UK adults (43%) currently agree that they feel proud of their community.”

Litter picking is a simple action that anyone can do to make an immediate and visible difference to their area.

If you want to be one of the first to pledge your support, you can register your interest HERE. More information coming in February 2024!




These wonderful voluntary organisations have contributed a huge amount of energy and enthusiasm into organising these events - so let’s support them, wildlife and the environment, whilst at the same time boosting our own positive mental health. Whilst all these events are free, donations are welcomed.

Finally Happy New Year 2024 from everyone at PAVO’s mental health team! 
We’d love to hear more if you have ideas about getting outdoors in Nature, 
to help the local environment and boost your wellbeing. 
Let us know in the comments below.

Tuesday 19 December 2023

A Private Land Art Lab – Gweithdy Celf TirDiaffordd

 

Sat 28 – Sun 29 October 2023

by Penny Hallas & Susan Adams

The Art Lab was the culmination of A Private Land project, featuring 2 days of co-produced, collaborative art including sculpture, video, painting, drawing, animation - and events featuring performance poetry, music and projection. Having an Art Lab rather than an exhibition felt like the work was live, a workshop, generating collaborative activity and conversations, a work in progress. We offered free refreshments to visitors while they looked around, there was also a relaxed area with sofas, books, things to do, or just sit, talk or contemplate.

The chosen venue was the Muse in Brecon, which had the advantage of being familiar to many of our participants from Brecon and District Mind, and also just a lovely characterful and friendly place, usually used for clubs and music nights. Some of the 155 visitors stayed for the majority of both days; people came mainly from a 30 mile radius, but also from Bristol, Cambridge, London, Newport, Cardiff, Hereford and the Midlands. Most moving was the way people came especially to share their stories and memories – of their own or loved one’s experiences of care at the old Mid-Wales Hospital and elsewhere.

After you entered the space you were faced with an off-kilter arch that Susan had made with
drawers from various chests, reflecting the heaps of moldering furniture inside the old hospital when it was abandoned. It could be that the arch echoed the grand portico of the Mid Wales Hospital, entry through which must have been a terrifying experience for some. Also that the inside of a drawer – in this case, painted with imagery - feels like the only space allotted you that feels private when you entered the hospital as an inpatient.

We wanted many of the artworks to invite interaction and a feeling of playfulness instead of the detached contemplation that visitors to art exhibitions might expect. We also wanted our art to be seen on a par with our participants and the work intermingled. Rather than the solidity of walls, rickety support structures formed from rusty reclaimed reinforcement rods held much of the work, perhaps echoing the fragility of the collapsing Mid-Wales Hospital and the experiences of those who lived there.



People took down and spun the thaumatropes - disks that rely on persistence of vision to come to life – that Susan and Mind members had made. Though playful, the optical toys also feel uncanny and disquieting because they offer a glimpse of something that isn’t really there. (Click here to see a few spin). The disks were partly inspired by our visit to the Powys Archives where we saw the 1900-1923 records of those admitted to the Brecon and Radnor Asylum, many of which were accompanied by circular photographic portraits. They were also inspired by the card games played at Mind meetings we joined, which eased social interaction and helped people feel relaxed.




Our participants were so generous with their time and creativity, extra to the workshops; artist and poet Eve Thomas produced photo-works, poems, and made jam from blackberries growing at the Mid Wales site for the Art Lab. Other participants made free-standing sculptural works and wrote poetry. We were very honoured also to have recorded conversations with two individuals who were treated at the Mid-Wales, and these were quietly playing at opposite ends of the room.




Penny drew over 75 portraits inspired by the photos we saw in the archives. These were mounted on recycled manila folders with redacted details of previous contents, to try to give a visual equivalent to institutional record keeping. At the centre of the structure was a video made of the 130 flower slides made in our workshops.

One of the activities offered in our workshops was weaving with nettles, brambles, briars - plants that are slowly taking over the grounds of the old Hospital. Often seen simply as weeds, they have a protective role and have been highly valued in the past. Penny combined the weavings with large works of her own to create sculptural pieces, suggesting sometimes shelters, and sometimes traps. The hope was that this would offer a kind of parallel experience to Art Lab visitors and this in fact happened with people temporarily inhabiting and animating them. Some people found them spiky and felt off-balance whilst others found them comforting, like the nests children make in bushes. One person said that his was a voluntary admission, but that he wouldn't be staying in for long.




On 2 television screens people could sit and watch an absorbing 30 minute video in 6 chapters reflecting Penny’s personal experiences through the project and something of how she chose to position herself in relation to its complexity and multiple challenges. Lyndon Davies provided a hauntingly beautiful sound-piece, amplifying and carrying the narrative. To see and hear a tiny clip, click here.




A sculptural piece by Susan involved a little blanket clad theatre atop an Edwardian what-not from which emerged woven willow tubes and horns. The little theatre is based on the stage in the dining hall at the Mid-Wales Hospital, the blankets for her a recurring metaphor, reflecting the dichotomy of comfort and restraint, or care and control. In the theatre a pencil drawn animation played, looking at cycles within nature and the irony of the ‘butterfly’ design of the hospital.




The Saturday evening event wasn't like a normal art opening, it felt like the heart of the Lab, with people really focusing on the experience of being there. We had performative events interspersed by periods when people could refresh their drinks and continue conversations.

The poet Angela Morton spent time in the Mid Wales hospital and wrote about her life during periods of mental illness and experiences in the hospital. Her daughter, Becky was going to read from Angela’s collection the Holding Ground, (the collective press 2002) but our dates coincided with a trip away, so she liaised with close friend and colleague, poet Graham Hartill, who read for her, shared his own memories of Angela and reflected on her poems. Her grandson musician Gwyn Daggett and creative partner Beth Flynn played some of their new material, it was beautiful.




Eve Thomas began and ended the evening with reading poetry and speaking from the heart about mental health challenges. Well over £100 was raised for Brecon and District Min

The following day in the afternoon we held a talk and feedback discussion, about 25 people came along, including Brecon and District Mind members, Stella Man and Cerys from Glenside Hospital Museum, psychotherapists, curators, historians, artists, participatory arts workers, a psychoanalyst and doctor. During the discussion we learnt that the books we had to fight so hard to see at the Archives were almost discarded when the hospital had closed – the attitude had gone from extreme carelessness to hyper vigilance and restricted access.

Afterwards people stayed to look around at the artworks and the discussions continued in smaller informal groups. Like everything during the Lab weekend, there was a feeling of energy in that so many interesting ideas were shared in a short period of time with a buzz of potential for what could be.




Here’s just a little of the feedback we received about A Private Land and the Art Lab:

'I was so impressed to see so many people come through the doors and share their stories reflecting on the old Mid Wales Hospital ruin in Talgarth. It felt so valuable and necessary to take this time to talk about the hospital and the people who lived, worked and died there.

Taking part in this project has been so affirming for me. It’s made me certain that I want to pursue a career as an artist as much as I possibly can. This was the first time I’ve ever stood up in front of a room full of people and talked about my art processes and shared my poetry - and the feedback I received was invaluable. I’ve gained some interesting insights about my work, and the confidence to seek out this kind of experience again. Massive thanks to Susan and Penny who created the project and let me be involved - you supported and inspired me throughout.’

‘I feel a deep resonance between the works here and my own lived experience as someone impacted by mental health issues. Privacy, emotional intelligence, confidence and self expression explored and shared here in a nurturing space has been profoundly affecting. Thank you for this unique experience facilitating the unfurling of much of my vulnerability.’

‘LOVE this so much – the art feels really alive and so many different elements. Immersive, intriguing and fascinating reaction and response to a place – its history, stories and its demise. The way the artists have involved others in the creative process including at the exhibition itself is great – the slide making is a huge hit with my son! Thanks.’

‘An emotive exhibition which captured the negative and supportive lifestyle of people in the hospital.’

‘Evoked so many memories of people we have known and loved.’

‘We really enjoyed this show and loved the way it had interactive parts! Wonderful! Hauntingly Beautiful with a dose of playful innocence. Loved it! ‘

‘Thank you so much for the experience and the opportunities brought by this event. Words are not enough.’

‘A Private Land’ stretched my thinking, so many threads spinning on conversations had and not had. Thank you.’

Resources and links

PEAK cymru https://www.peakcymru.org

Talgarth Museum https://www.facebook.com/TalgarthMuseum

Glenside Hospital Museum https://www.glensidemuseum.org.uk

Bethlem Gallery https://bethlemgallery.com

Outside In https://www.instagram.com/outsidein_uk/?hl=en

The restoration Trust Change Minds Project https://restorationtrust.org.uk/change-minds/

Mendip Hospital Cemetery http://www.mendiphospitalcemetery.org.uk

High Royds Hospital website, Talgarth page

http://www.highroydshospital.com/resource/mid-wales-hospital-talgarth/

The role of Arts in Improving Health and Wellbeing

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/929773/DCMS_report_April_2020_finalx__1_.pdf

The Wales Arts Health & Wellbeing Network (WAHWN) https://wahwn.cymru

  


Tuesday 12 December 2023

The value of play to children's emotional wellbeing

by Rachel Maflin, Manager, Play Radnor

“Children need the freedom and the time to play;
play is not a luxury, play is a necessity.”
Kay Redfield Jamison

We know that allowing children time to play brings enormous benefits to children’s development. Play helps children to make sense of the world, through exploration, imagination and experience. It helps children to express themselves, regulate their emotions and cope with their feelings. Playing with others enables them to learn how their behaviour affects others and develop empathy.

Play is vital for a child’s emotional development in so many ways….
  • Emotional resilience.
  • Self-esteem.
  • Self-confidence.
  • Reduced anxiety.
  • Self-worth.
  • Understanding winning and losing.
  • Exploring feelings.
  • Self-expression.
  • Empathy.
  • Understanding the world they live in.
  • Dealing with fear in a safe environment.
  • Problem solving.



The benefits of play can be found in a wide range of play opportunities, such as:
  • Playing outside e.g. swinging, climbing trees, running, jumping.
  • Pretend play e.g. dressing up or den building.
  • Adventurous play e.g. climbing, balancing, rope swinging.
  • Group activities - playing with other people helps children express and control their emotions with others e.g. creating their own play ideas.
Activities don’t need to be expensive, the simplest stuff is often the best. We have a low cost / no cost approach using wherever possible loose parts – a variety of objects both natural and man made which can be used in a variety of ways. Loose parts play uses a range of resources that can be found both in nature and around the house, such as ….
  • Cardboard boxes, paper, shredded paper.
  • Materials – old sheets, duvet covers, shower curtain, wool, ribbons, old clothes for dressing up, bandages for role play.
  • Buckets, tubs, tubes, pipes, containers of all shapes and sizes, funnels, plastic bottles, guttering.
  • Kitchen equipment – mashers, whisks, pots, pans, sieves – mud kitchens.
  • Sand, water, mud.
  • Old phones, computer keyboards for role play.
  • Crates, tarps, rope / string.
  • Great outdoors for sticks, leaves, seeds, moss, shells, stones, pine cones, conkers, flowers, herbs e.g. potion making.
  • Chalk, pens, pencils, etc.



‘When children interact with loose parts, they enter a world of “what if” that promotes the type of thinking that leads to problem solving and theoretical reasoning. Loose parts enhance children’s ability to think imaginatively and see solutions, and they bring a sense of adventure and excitement to children’s play.’    (Daly and Beloglovsky, 2015)




Loose parts create richer environments for children to play. As they are flexible, they can be used in a variety of ways, providing limitless opportunities. These play experiences promote imagination and curiosity, problem solving and independence, with children being able to choose their own direction of play.

With Christmas just around the corner, make a little space for play. Like your grandma used to say, they’ll leave the present and play with the cardboard box. It’s often the cardboard box that has the greatest amount of play value.




Play Radnor/Chwarae Maesyfed is a rural children’s charity that provides play, leisure and recreational opportunities for children and young people in Powys. We run a number of projects for children, young people and families both at our dedicated centre in Llandrindod Wells and through our outreach work. These include:

Play Rangers project: Delivering open access outreach play sessions on green spaces within local communities during school holidays.

Thumbs UP! Club: A project for families who have a child with a disability or additional need and their siblings. We run weekly sessions for children aged 5-11 and 12+.

Mud and Sticks: A Children in Need funded outdoor parent and toddler group (0-5) that meets in the woods for regular play sessions. Our aim is to inspire greater confidence in getting outdoors more as a family and develop strong relationships.




Toy Library: a low cost service enabling families to borrow toys and resources that encourage children's educational and social development. These include a wide range of physical, imaginative and multisensory resources.

Wildcraft: A twice weekly group for children aged 5-7 and 8-11 that offers opportunities for a variety of outdoor play. This could include campfire cooking, nature crafts, simple wood working, den making etc. We also run a monthly weekend session for parents and children to attend which offers low cost / no cost ideas for outdoor play.

Cooking Club: Sessions delivered in our community kitchen for a range of ages. Learning important life skills, cooking healthy and tasty food.

Stay and Play / Fun Fridays:
Two hour play sessions for children aged 0-5 yrs and their parent/carer to have fun, play and socialise with others. Facilitated by volunteers.

Messy Play
– Occasional sessions for parents and children aged 0-5 during school holidays and term time.