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

  

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.

Volunteering at Christmas & New Year

Gareth Ratcliffe (sat centre) and the team of Hay on Wye Christmas volunteers

This seasonal blog post is about the benefits volunteering can bring to so many people and organisations over the Christmas season. There are so many volunteering options out there during the deep mid winter. It can make a refreshing change to do something different at this time of year, especially if you like to escape the more traditional Christmas activities, or just need a change of scene, (or people!).

Traditionally homeless centres, churches, care homes, mental health charities and telephone befriending services all seek volunteers over the Christmas period to provide practical support and friendship during a season which can be very difficult for many. However, the opportunities are endless and varied - it pays to do a little research and commit yourself in advance to get the best out of your contribution - not just for the organisation you sign up with but also yourself.

We asked some PAVO colleagues, with past experience of volunteering over the seasonal period, or perhaps dipping their toes in for the first time, to tell us more about the benefits.

Gareth Ratcliffe - Health Promotion Facilitator

Bringing joy to Hay-on-Wye: Volunteers join forces to welcome Father Christmas

Each year, the small town of Hay-on-Wye experiences a magical event that warms the hearts of both young and old—the visit of Father Christmas. This enchanting tradition is made possible by a dedicated group of local volunteers who come together to create a festive atmosphere and spread Christmas cheer throughout the community. This was a tradition that was reintroduced over the Covid period. When I was a child, I always remember the visit on the back of the local steam engine a few days before Christmas. These memories have lasted forever.

Volunteer spirit: Spreading the magic of Christmas

The heartwarming sight of Santa Claus and his supportive elves traversing the streets of Hay-on-Wye is made possible by the dedicated volunteers who give their time and energy to make this event a reality. Their efforts go beyond organising the route and ensuring a smooth procession; they play a crucial role in creating an unforgettable experience for the entire community. With Christmas tunes blasting out, the bells ringing and little treats for the girls and boys on Santa's good list.

The magic of Santa: Uniting generations

The joy that radiates from the faces of children and the smiles exchanged between neighbours as Santa Claus makes his way through town are immeasurable. It's a reminder that the holiday season is not just about gifts but about coming together as a community, sharing in the wonder of the festive season, and creating cherished moments that will be remembered for years to come.

As the volunteers of Hay-on-Wye prepare to welcome Father Christmas, they embody the true spirit of the season—selflessness, community, and the joy of giving. Through their collective efforts, they bring to life the magic of Christmas and make it a season to remember for everyone in Hay-on-Wye.

Bringing communities together: A fundraising twist

Each year we also like to raise funds for those who want to donate to a local event for the community. In the true spirit of giving, they are raising funds for the Hay Summer Show, a local event that celebrates the community's talents and achievements. The generosity of those who choose to donate during Santa's visit will contribute to the success of this beloved summer showcase.

Winter wildflowers in Powys

Lucy Taylor - Community Wellbeing Officer Children and Young People

New Year Plant Hunt

My family and I will be volunteering for the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland on their annual New Year Plant Survey which takes place from Saturday 30 December 2023 to Tuesday 2 January 2024.

The plant survey helps build a picture of biodiversity and decline so that decline in species, and how species are reacting to climate change, can be recorded and then these issues can be addressed / mitigated. As the survey has been done for 30 odd years it is building a great picture of our wildflowers. Citizen research projects are so interesting to take part in, to feel part of that wider community.

I love to walk and always look at the flowers and plants around, so to do so with a purpose and effect will be really nice. It makes you feel useful and that is always good. A walk at Christmas / New Year time with the family is always great so with this in mind everyone can join in. Done year on year you build up your own image of how plants are faring in your local area.

My top tip for anyone wishing to volunteer for the first time at Christmas & New Year is - think about it in advance and plan your time so it does not become a panic in the hustle and bustle of the season. Why not volunteer with friends and family?

Trish Varley - Finance Officer

Knitting for Young Farmers’ Clubs supporting homeless people

I was asked if I'd like to knit some bobble hats for the local Young Farmers’ club as they were going to be distributed to the homeless as part of one of the YFC projects. The YFC regularly have projects that involve their members collecting, or creating items for competitions, that then get distributed for the benefit of various good causes. This time it was a request for members to come up with colourful bobble hats which would then be donated to homeless people.

As I have a passion for knitting and crocheting, I am always glad of any opportunity to make something that might help an individual or group and this was perfect. Throughout the last year I have been crocheting colourful blankets for dementia patients in NHS hospitals which was very satisfying.

I have enjoyed making these hats so much that I have continued to knit more in the hope that they can be donated wherever they might be needed and I am currently on the 6th hat since I started 2 weeks ago.

My tip for volunteering is to look for opportunities that might involve something that you enjoy doing, that way it feels even more beneficial to use your skills doing something you love to benefit another person.

Jen Hawkins - Senior Officer Community Wellbeing

Volunteering with the Montgomery Brownies

I'll be volunteering and supporting the 1st Montgomery Brownies. We have approximately 20 girls ranging from 7-10 years old. We have three older girls leaving us at Christmas to join the Guides and they're working on finishing off their brownie badges in time to move up. We'll also be going climbing and going to the cinema with the girls, whilst finishing off our Castle badges, perfect to commemorate the 800th anniversary of Montgomery Castle. There'll be an end of term party to celebrate our achievements this term with some fun and games and probably chocolate !

The girls benefit from learning new skills and working together as a team, helping them to grow in confidence, developing interests that they might not have considered before and making friends for life. The age range encourages the girls to work together and support each other with the older girls taking more responsibilities as sixers and seconders, helping and supporting the younger girls.

I have a lot of fun supporting the girls. Sometimes the activities take me out of my comfort zone and can stretch me in new ways too, making origami toadstools was not easy! It's good to learn with the girls and to recognise that in life we are constantly learning and it's OK to make mistakes, learn and move on. Working with young people is also rewarding, watching them grow in confidence and have fun. I think it helps me to feel young at heart and embrace the fun side of life too.

My top tip for anyone wishing to volunteer for the first time at Christmas & New Year is: Jump in and have a go, you never know what new skills you might learn or what you might discover about yourself, you'll have fun too.

Louise Hardwick - Development Officer

Cooking & delivering Christmas meals in Knighton

Over previous years I have volunteered my time in cooking and delivering hot Christmas dinners and puds on Christmas Day for 44 people in and around Knighton. My family all helped out, with everything from washing up, putting together a little gift for each recipient, and I sourced donations to cover all of the costs. I recruited a band of volunteers who helped me with serving and delivering the meals. This year my youngest daughter, age 10, and myself are going to be volunteering for a morning at our local Foodbank and helping with packaging up Christmas parcels ready to be delivered to families. My daughter Zara loves to support the foodbank and has already dropped off a recent order of groceries and supplies which she picked out and paid for herself.

Having gone through difficult times myself it is nice to be able to pay it forward and support others who may find times challenging. Also giving a helping hand to Helen, our wonderful foodbank manager in her busiest season, by helping her prepare parcels.

Some of the benefits to me include: continuing to teach my children to always be grateful for what we have, but to be compassionate and empathetic towards others, and be able and willing to help in any way we can. The 'feel-good' factor of helping others is like no other feeling. It's not about getting something physical or financial, knowing that the tiny amount of help we give will help put a little smile on someone else's face is priceless.

Louise and her son Owen serving up meals for delivery

My top tip for volunteering at this time of year: Just do it! It doesn't matter how much time you can give, even just a one off hour is so very helpful. There are so many volunteer opportunities around - it could even be helping a neighbour with that bit of festive shopping they can't quite manage to get, or assisting them in wrapping presents for their family members. Go in with open arms and an open mind and you won't be disappointed. Volunteering at any age is such a rewarding thing to do.

A BIG thanks to colleagues for telling us about their seasonal volunteering experiences. If you would like to discuss the volunteering opportunities that are available in your area in Powys then do get in touch with the Powys Volunteer Centre.

A peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers near and far

It’s Welsh Charities Week - let's celebrate our Powys mental health charities

This week, 13 – 17 November 2023, is Welsh Charities Week! It’s a chance to recognise and share the good work of charities, social enterprises, voluntary organisations and community and volunteer groups in Powys.

According to WCVA, which hosts Welsh Charities Week: “The last few years have seen the sector and country as a whole endure a series of challenges and difficult circumstances. Welsh Charities Week is a chance to recognise and celebrate all the work that people and organisations across the voluntary sector in Wales do to shine a bit of light in the dark. It’s an opportunity to come together and show appreciation, to remind people that what they do makes a difference.”

To celebrate the wonderful work of our Powys mental health charities for Welsh Charities Week we decided to showcase one of the current activities or services available from each organisation. There is so much support out there for people who need help to boost their emotional wellbeing, we need to shout loud and make sure everyone, absolutely everyone, knows about it. We never know when any one of us - you, me, our family and friends, may find ourselves struggling with our mental health and need that support.

So support these local charities, because they support us. Show them some love, because they are lifesavers, literally in some cases. You could help spread the word about their services, you could join in their fundraising activities, you could volunteer at their centres. There are so many ways to celebrate and support their essential work.

Let’s hear more about them. From South to North up through our magnificent and large county of Powys:

Ystradgynlais Mind - In-work support service

The In-Work Support Service is a new, Welsh Government funded service being delivered by Minds in Powys. It is a 2 years’ project focussed on reducing the impact of health issues in the workplace. It is aimed at individuals and businesses, providing therapeutic support for employees and training and advice to businesses throughout Powys.

The new 'In Work Support Service' at Ystradgynlais Mind can help those who are struggling with their mental health whilst working.

The free service provides therapeutic support to help people who are absent from work, or at risk of becoming absent, due to their ill-health.

Head over to the Ystradgynlais Mind website to find out more!

Brecon & District Mind - Mums Matter

Mums Matter is a National Mind programme that was created by Mums for Mums with babies up to two years old to help them to adjust to motherhood. Brecon and District Mind have been delivering it for nearly five years now. The six-week face to face course runs for groups of Mums for two hours each week; childcare is also provided.

There is a strong emphasis on peer support and being able to have honest conversations about the inevitable challenges that come with being a mum – tiredness, perhaps a loss of identity, anxiety, guilt and loneliness.

If you miss a course, there are always new courses coming up. The latest course starts in Brecon this week at the Subud Centre, and there is also a Mums' Social group during term time which is open to expectant Mums too. It's a great place to chit chat and get to know the Family Team at Brecon & District Mind. 

Find out more on the Brecon & District Mind website.

Mid & North Powys Mind - Bereavement Cafe

If you are experiencing grief and loss and would like to connect with others who have, or who are undergoing, a similar experience, why not consider going along to Mid & North Powys Mind’s Bereavement Cafe.

It takes place on the first Friday of every month at All Saints’ Church in Newtown at 6.30pm.

The cafe is part of a Bereavement Support service offered by the organisation. You can be matched with a Bereavement Supporter who will work alongside you, listening and helping you work through your grief in your own way, on a one to one basis. Your Bereavement Supporter is a volunteer who has undergone extensive training.

Each session will last about an hour and will continue for an average of 6 sessions. Support can be face to face and/or telephone/Zoom, depending on what works for you. Anything you say is kept in the strictest confidence, unless someone’s safety is at risk. 

Check out the Mid & North Powys Mind website to find out more.

Ponthafren - the Gym

Ponthafren recently announced the opening of the new Ponthafren Gym at the Armoury in Welshpool.

It has been shown that doing physical activity can help improve your mental health. Physical activity can help with:

• Sleeping better.
• Feeling happier.
• Managing stress.
• Managing anxiety or intrusive thoughts.
• Improving self image.

Ponthafren Gym is a great place to get healthier in a relaxed non-judgmental atmosphere.

Come along and join for a Healthy Mind & Body with Ponthafren. Membership is just £15 per month. You must complete a compulsory induction before using the equipment. 

All you need to know is on the Ponthafren website.

We wish our local mental health charities all the best for Welsh Charities Week 2023! 

Long may they continue to support our communities.

The DPJ Foundation launches vital children’s books

Lawnsiad Sefydliad DPJ o lyfrau plant hanfodol

DPJ founder Emma's children - Trystan, Mali & Erin 
Plant Emma, sylfaenydd DPJ - Trystan, Mali ac Erin

On Tuesday 10 October 2023, World Mental Health Awareness Day, The DPJ Foundation shared their first series of therapeutic children’s picture books the “Dan Y Bont” series with schools across Wales.

The DPJ Foundation, founded in 2016, supports the mental health of agricultural communities across Wales, providing a 24/7 helpline ‘Share The Load’. This includes supporting those who are bereaved and are experiencing grief.

Ar ddydd Mawrth 10fed o Hydref, 2023, Diwrnod Ymwybyddiaeth Iechyd Meddwl y Byd, rhannodd Sefydliad DPJ, gydag ysgolion ledled Cymru, llyfrau “Dan Y Bont”, eu cyfres gyntaf o lyfrau lluniau therapiwtig i blant.

Mae Sefydliad DPJ, a sefydlwyd yn 2016, yn cefnogi iechyd meddwl cymunedau amaethyddol ar draws Cymru, gan ddarparu llinell gymorth 24/7 ‘Rhannwch y Baich’. Mae hyn yn cynnwys cymorth i’r rhai hynny sydd wedi cael profedigaeth ac sy’n galaru.

The idea for this project came from the DPJ Foundation’s charity manager, Kate Miles. Kate recognized the increasing need for bereavement support for children in rural communities, especially those in agriculture and often found parents turning to the DPJ Foundation for assistance when their children were grappling with the complexities of grief. Thanks to a grant from the Welsh Government’s Bereavement Support Fund, the charity was able to create a collection of three books specifically tailored to primary-age children, aiming to provide them with much-needed support during difficult times. Fundraising from within the agricultural community has enabled the DPJ Foundation to place books within schools and libraries across the country. Kate said:

“We know that everyone will experience bereavement at some point, and dealing with this as a child can be difficult. We wanted to support parents, grandparents and teachers to have conversations that can enable their children to deal with often overwhelming feelings. We know that it is hard to support your child whilst trying to face your own loss so we wanted to offer something that may help.”

Lluniwyd y prosiect yn dilyn awgrymiadau Kate Miles, rheolwr elusen Sefydliad DPJ, a oedd wedi adnabod yr angen cynyddol am gefnogaeth profedigaeth i blant mewn cymunedau gwledig, yn enwedig cymunedau amaethyddol. Roedd hi’n aml yn gweld rhieni’n troi at Sefydliad DPJ am help pan roedd eu plant yn brwydro gyda chymhlethdodau galar. Diolch i grant oddiwrth Gronfa Cynnal Profedigaeth Llywodraeth Cymru, fe’m galluogwyd ni i greu casgliad o dri llyfr a deilwrwyd yn arbennig ar gyfer plant oed cynradd, gan anelu at ddarparu’r gefnogaeth sydd mawr ei hangen arnynt yn ystod dyddiau tywyll. Mae gwaith codi arian yn y gymuned amaethyddol wedi galluogi Sefydliad DPJ i osod llyfrau mewn ysgolion a llyfrgelloedd ar draws y wlad. Dywedodd Kate:

“Mae pawb yn dioddef profedigaeth ar ryw adeg. Gall delio â hyn pan yn blentyn fod yn anodd. Roeddwn am gefnogi rhieni, neiniau a theidiau ac athrawon i gynnal sgyrsiau a allai alluogi eu plant i ddelio â theimladau sydd, yn aml, yn gwbl llethol. Deallwn ei fod yn anodd cefnogi’ch plentyn tra’n ceisio wynebu’ch colled eich hun, felly roeddwn am gynnig rhywbeth a allai fod o gymorth”.

Collaborating with the dedicated team at Green Wellies Publishing in Builth Wells, the Charity’s founder, Emma O’Sullivan alongside Kate, worked to lay the foundations for these stories. Anwen Nicholls and Kenneth Rees then skilfully crafted the words and illustrations to bring these ideas to life.

The Dan Y Bont series revolves around the lives of three children in a small village, each of whom has experienced a different type of loss—whether it's the passing of a grandparent, the sudden loss of a sibling, or the tragedy of a parent's suicide. These books approach these sensitive topics with great care and in a child-friendly manner, offering children explanations and suggestions for moving forward while reinforcing the message that it's okay not to feel okay during such difficult times.

Wrth gydweithio’n agos gyda thîm cyhoeddi ymroddgar Green Wellies yn Llanfair ym Muallt, aeth Emma O’Sullivan, sylfaenydd yr elusen, a Kate ati i ddatblygu seiliau cysyniadol y llyfrau hyn. Yna, defnyddiwyd talent creadigol Anwen Nicholls a Kenneth Rees i ysgrifennu a darlunio’r storïau er mwyn rhoi bywyd i’r syniadau hyn.

Troella gyfres Dan Y Bont o gwmpas bywydau tri o blant mewn pentref bach, ac mae pob un ohonynt wedi dioddef colled wahanol - p’un ai bod hynny’n farwolaeth tadcu neu famgu, colli brawd neu chwaer yn sydyn neu hunan-laddiad trasig rhiant. Mae’r llyfrau hyn yn trafod y themáu sensitif hyn gyda gofal mawr ac mewn dull cyfeillgar i blant wrth gynnig esboniadau ac awgrymiadau ynghylch symud ymlaen, tra’n atgyfnerthu’r neges ei fod yn iawn i beidio â theimlo’n iawn mewn cyfnodau mor anodd.

Emma, who is also a primary school teacher, established The DPJ Foundation after losing her husband Daniel Picton-Jones to suicide. Emma's personal experiences with her own children following the loss of Daniel served as inspiration for these books. Emma says:

“I am so proud of what we have achieved with these books, alongside the team at Green Wellies. When Mali and Trystan lost their dad, there was little support for them so to now see these books available for children who are experiencing grief is wonderful. As a teacher, I see the impact of books every day and I’m glad we can now contribute to that with our own books.”

Sefydlodd Emma, sydd hefyd yn athrawes ysgol gynradd, Sefydliad DPJ wedi iddi golli ei gŵr, Daniel Picton-Jones, drwy hunanladdiad. Hysbrydolodd profiadau personol Emma gyda’i phlant ei hun yn dilyn colli Daniel i fynd ati i lunio’r llyfrau hyn. Dyma oedd gan Emma i’w ddweud:

“Dw i mor falch o’r hyn ‘rydym ni, ochr yn ochr â’r tîm yn Green Wellies, wedi’i gyflawni. Pan gollodd Mali a Thrystan eu tad doedd fawr o gefnogaeth ar gael iddynt, felly mae’n hyfryd gweld bod y llyfrau hyn ar gael i blant sy’n galaru. Fel athrawes, gwelaf yn ddyddiol effaith llyfrau a dw i mor falch ein bod yn gallu cyfrannu at hynny gyda’n llyfrau ni’n hunain”.

Books have been distributed to over 160 schools right across the country along with an accompanying assembly that is available in both English and Welsh and which can be delivered to introduce the books and open the conversation around bereavement and mental health. Assemblies will be delivered in some schools by the DPJ Foundation’s Regional Champion volunteers, including one by Mali, Emma’s daughter, who had also fundraised along with her brother Trystan and friends Reuben, Freddie and Isla who are also helping to distribute the books. Mali said:

“When mum told us about the books, we all decided to wanted to fundraise to make sure we could get these books out to schools. We didn’t have anything like this when we lost dad so it’s nice that other children and families can use the books to help.”

Trystan said “I really liked being able to look in a book and see another child who had lost their dad too and was able to get help and understand what happened. I think they will be really good for other children who have been through the same thing as me.”

Mae llyfrau wedi’u dosbarthu i dros 160 o ysgolion ar draws y wlad, ynghyd â gwasanaethau boreuol cyfrwng Cymraeg a Saesneg. Mae modd eu defnyddio i gyflwyno’r llyfrau a dechrau’r sgwrs am brofedigaeth ac iechyd meddwl. Cafodd rhai o’r gwasanaethau eu cyflwyno yn yr ysgolion gan wirfoddolwyr Pencampwyr Rhanbarthol Sefydliad DPJ, gan gynnwys un gan Mali, merch Emma, a oedd hefyd wedi bod yn codi arian yng nghwmi ei brawd Trystan a’i ffrindiau Reuben, Freddie ac Isla, sydd hefyd yn helpu dosbarthu’r llyfrau. Dyma a oedd gan Mali i’w ddweud:

“Pan soniodd mam am y llyfrau, roedd pob un ohonom wedi penderfynu ein bod am godi arian i wneud yn siwr bod y llyfrau hyn yn cyrraedd ysgolion. Doedd dim byd tebyg ar gael i ni pan gollon ni Dad. Felly, mae’n braf bod plant a theuluoedd eraill yn gallu defnyddio’r llyfrau i’w helpu”.

Dywedodd Trystan “Roeddwn wir yn hoffi darllen am blentyn arall a oedd hefyd wedi colli ei dad a chael help yn ogystal â deall yr hyn a oedd wedi digwydd. Dw i’n credu y byddant yn dda iawn ar gyfer plant eraill sydd wedi profi’r un sefyllfa”.

The charity was committed to making the books available in both English and Welsh to ensure widespread accessibility and Welsh books are currently in the print stage.

Anwen Nicholls and Ken Rees of Green Wellies Publishing are proud to have worked on these books. They said:

“We hope that the books offer some support to families when they are facing sadness, and looking to find images and words to help make sense of the challenging times in their lives. It has been an honour and great responsibility working with the DPJ on this project, and we would like to extend our thanks for being tasked with this very important piece of work.”

Roedd yr elusen wedi’i hymrwymo i sicrau bod y llyfrau ar gael yn Gymraeg a Saesneg, fel eu bod yn hygyrch i bawb, ac mae’r fersiynau Cymraeg yn nwylo’r argraffwyr ar hyn o bryd.

Mae Anwen Nicholls a Ken Rees o gwmni cyhoeddi Green Wellies yn falch eu bod wedi gweithio ar y llyfrau hyn. Dyma oedd ganddynt i’w ddweud:

“Rydym yn gobeithio y bydd y llyfrau’n cynnig rhywfaint o gymorth i deuluoedd pan y maen nhw’n wynebu tristwch, ac yn chwilio am luniau a geiriau sy’n helpu gwneud synnwyr mewn cyfnodau heriol yn eu bywydau. Mae wedi bod yn anrhydedd a chyfrifoldeb mawr i weithio gyda DPJ ar y prosiect hwn, ac hoffwn estyn ein diolch iddynt am gael y fraint o weithio ar y darn pwysig yma o waith”.

As the week commencing 10th-16th October was also ‘Ag Mental Health Week’, it’s an important opportunity for the charity to highlight the support available for mental health in agriculture, including around bereavement. Kate was keen to highlight that the books are just one aspect of the support available from the DPJ Foundation:

“We all cope differently with loss and for those that need a bit of extra help, we are here at the DPJ Foundation to listen and to support, including with counselling and other therapy. We have developed some information about the practical aspects of a death in agriculture and hope that this along with these books will help make things if not easier, then a little less hard. We also have developed free training for those in the community who want to support others with their bereavement.”

Gan fod wythnos y 10fed – 16eg o Hydref hefyd yn ‘Wythnos Iechyd Meddwl Amaeth’, mae’n gyfle pwysig i’r elusen i amlygu’r gefnogaeth sydd ar gael ar gyfer iechyd meddwl mewn amaeth, gan gynnwys profedigaeth. Roedd Kate yn awyddus i ddweud bod y llyfrau ond yn un agwedd o’r gefnogaeth sydd ar gael gan Sefydliad DPJ:

“Mae pawb yn ymdopi â cholled mewn gwahanol ffordd ac, i’r rhai hynny sydd angen ychydig mwy o help, rydym yma yn Sefydliad DPJ i wrando a chefnogi, gan gynnwys cynnig cwnsela a therapi arall. Rydym wedi datblygu peth gwybodaeth ynghylch yr agweddau ymarferol yn dilyn marwolaeth ym myd amaeth, ac yn mawr obeithio y bydd hyn, ynghyd â’r llyfrau, yn gwneud pethau’n ychydig llai anodd, os nad yn haws. Rydym hefyd wedi datblygu hyfforddiant am ddim i’r rhai hynny yn y gymuned sydd am gefnogi eraill sydd wedi dioddef profedigaeth”.

To find out more about The DPJ Foundation, their picture book launch and their services, make sure to follow them on social media. You can find them on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Snapchat and TikTok.

If you believe that individual children or families in your school would benefit from their own copy of a book, please contact the DPJ Foundation.

If you need mental health support, you can call them free on 0800 587 4262 or text them on 07860 048 799 (this number doesn’t accept calls).

I wybod mwy am waith Sefydliad DPJ, y lansiad o’i llyfrau lluniau a’n gwasanaethau, gwnewch yn siwr eich bod yn ein dilyn ar gyfryngau cymdeithasol yr wythnos hon. Gallwch ddod o hyd i ni ar Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Snapchat a TikTok.

Os ydych o’r farn y byddai plant neu deuluoedd unigol yn eich hysgol yn elwa ar dderbyn copi personol o lyfr, cysylltwch â Sefydliad DPJ os gwelwch yn dda.

Os oes angen arnoch gefnogaeth iechyd meddwl gallwch ein ffonio’n ddi-dâl ar 0800 587 4262 neu anfon neges testun ar 07860 048 799 (nid yw’r rhif hwn yn derbyn galwadau).

World Mental Health Day 2023 - mental health is a universal human right

What is World Mental Health Day?

The World Federation for Mental Health was founded in 1948 in the same era as the United Nations (UN) and the World Health Organization (WHO). This year, along with the NHS, it celebrates its 75th birthday.

1992 saw the first World Mental Health Day, so this year’s awareness day on 10 October is the 32nd, with a theme of “mental health is a universal human right.”

The WFMH asks us to: “Join us in this journey as we unite to raise awareness about the importance of mental health as an indispensable universal human right, with the vision of fostering a world that values and nurtures the well-being of all.”

Mental health is a universal human right

“Mental health must be squarely placed in a human rights framework to re-cast the aspiration for sound mental health as a fundamental human right. Ensuring access to mental health services must be an obligation and responsibility of state and global organisations which can no longer be ignored. Access to better living conditions, security, food, shelter and housing are all necessary for people's mental health. Mental health is a universal right to all citizens of the world and consistent with the 1948 founding principles of the World Federation for Mental Health.” Nassa Lozer, President, WFMH

Investment and transformation in mental health is needed to help stop the widespread human rights violations that people with mental health conditions continue to experience worldwide.

How rights to mental health can be respected

The World Federation for Mental Health believes that everyone, wherever they live, should receive appropriate and quality care if they are experiencing mental health distress (issues, problems, difficulties or struggles, call them what you will).

This includes the right to be protected from “known harms to mental health”, which would surely cover poverty, unemployment, lack of housing, adverse childhood experiences and any of the other social determinants of good mental health.

It also includes the right to freedom, “including the right of choice.”

More about human rights

1948 also saw the United Nations launch of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights aimed at all peoples and nations, setting out as it does fundamental human rights to be universally protected.

The United Nations is an international organisation made up of 193 member states:

“One place where the world's nations can gather together, discuss common problems and find shared solutions”.

What is rights-based support?

Three years ago there was an important report to the Human Rights Council of the United Nations on a topic high on everyone’s agenda:

“The right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.”

The focus of the report was to set a “rights-based” global agenda for advancing the right to mental health.

In this 2020 United Nations report to the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur addresses the need for a global agenda for mental health that is human rights-based. (Special rapporteurs are independent human rights experts whose expertise is called upon by the United Nations to report or advise on human rights from a thematic or country-specific perspective). 

In this case the Special Rapporteur was Mr. Dainius Pūras from Lithuania,"a medical doctor and human rights advocate who has been actively involved during the last 30 years in the process of transforming public health policies and services, with special focus on the rights of children, persons with mental disabilities, and other groups in vulnerable situations.”

The report identifies that while many people understand their mental health challenges through a medical lens, many do not. It makes sense, then, that it is crucial to build space for “a diversity of creative approaches and experiences within and outside existing mental health systems.”

Some of the creative approaches which are referred to in the report include: “highly localised innovations in different resource settings around the world, such as Soteria House, Open Dialogue, peer-respite centres, medication-free wards, recovery communities and community development models”. Topics we have been covering on the Powys Mental Health blog for over 10 years now.

Examples from the blog:

Challenging the medical model of mental health distress

World Mental Health Day 2022 - make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority

As the report suggests: “A quiet revolution has been occurring in neighbourhoods and communities worldwide. At the root of these alternatives is a deep commitment to human rights, dignity and non-coercive practices, all of which remain an elusive challenge in traditional mental health systems too heavily reliant on a biomedical paradigm”.

The report suggests that rather than describing such approaches as “alternatives”, which means they are more likely to be ignored because they are outside the mainstream, that they are called “rights-based supports.”

Key principles of rights-based support

• Dignity and autonomy.
• Social inclusion.
• Participation.
• Equality and non-discrimination.
• Diversity of care.
• Underlying social and psychosocial determinants of mental health.

Reading the report it becomes clear that the responsibility for good mental health does not just lie with individuals and their health providers, but with policy-makers - governments and statutory authorities. And not just policy-making in relation to health but policies affecting all areas of our lives that have a massive impact on our health.

We need to promote healthy, resilient communities where everyone feels supported and able to live a good life, not just the few with the most wealth. And promotion can take place not just in health settings but in all areas of our day-to-day lives - workplaces, schools, homes and communities.

Action we can take

The report goes on to say:

“Movements of service users, of persons with psychosocial disabilities, of mad people, of people who hear voices, who are rights holders in all their diversity, must be at the forefront of efforts for rights-based change. Scaling up rights-based support within and outside existing mental health systems holds much promise for the changes that are needed.”

In one of 7 recommendations to member States the report recommends that they:

“Promote mental health by increasing financial support to sustainable, cross-cutting programmes that reduce poverty, inequalities, discrimination on all grounds and violence in all settings, so that the main determinants of mental health are effectively addressed.”

It all sounds very similar to the recommendations at the recent Bevan Commission conference which we attended: The Tipping Point - where next for health and care in Wales?

Steps in the right direction

I recently found out about the Welsh Health Equity Solutions platform. The platform has been designed as a resource to find data and solutions relating to health equity - “a gateway to data, evidence, health economics and modelling, policies, good practice, innovative tools and practical solutions to help improve population wellbeing and reduce the health equity gap in Wales and beyond.”

It is a partnership project of Public Health Wales, Welsh Government and the World Health Organisation. The platform is based around five essential conditions for healthy and prosperous lives for all. There are also opportunities for people to get involved in co-producing solutions, developing case studies and contributing to learning on solutions-focused action to reduce health inequities. It sounds like a really interesting initiative.

And finally

Alongside changes in policy and support, we need to look at how we provide care to people around their mental health. It’s not about asking what is “wrong” with someone, but what has “happened” to them. Until we reframe the questions, how can we start to work with someone to help find relevant solutions…?

What do you think about mental health as a universal human right? Let us know in the comments below.