Spending time working together on creative projects can have many far-reaching benefits. Here, we explain more about Plymouth and Devon Racial Equality Council’s Arts and Crafts group.
It’s a sunny weekday morning and a group of women from all over the world and from all walks of life are gathered together to make hats inspired by the colours of Kenya. Everyone is busy creating and chatting during the drop-in session, part of a regular meet-up of the Plymouth and Devon Racial Equality Council’s women’s Arts and Crafts group.
It began around 20 years ago, set up to help asylum seekers and those from minority ethnic groups feel less isolated in a city where they have no family or friends to support them.
Today, the purpose of the Arts and Craft groups is exactly the same: to ease feelings of isolation by encouraging women to take part in creative activities.
“It’s very mindful when you’re concentrating on something like art or craft,” says PDREC’s Vanessa Crosse, in charge of organising the sessions which have become a lifeline to some regulars.
“One woman has told me that it saved her mental health completely,” adds Vanessa. “Some people in our asylum seeker communities are going through an awful time, waiting to get their status. They really suffer mentally. This group is just somewhere to go to take your mind off things for a little while.”
The sessions can involve anything from making and drawing to creative writing and learning professional artistic techniques.
Vanessa tri
es to book in a wide range of people to lead the sessions, including local artists and students from the University of Plymouth.
There’s no pressure, however, and women are encouraged just to come along and do as much or as little as they want.
“For some people, it’s an achievement just getting out of the house in the first place,” says Vanessa. “I say to people, come along and you don’t have to talk to people if you don’t want, you don’t have to do the planned activities. It’s up to you. One lady comes in a just does her knitting and has a good chat!”
Vanessa explains how rewarding it is to see people’s confidence grow week by week as they start to make friends and enjoy working on different projects together.
Some group members have gone on to lead their own sessions or even get part-time jobs during festivals and events, as well as joining other groups in their community.
“You can see the people who have been on a really positive journey because of this group,” says Vanessa, talking about the feedback she gets from colleagues working with traumatised and is
olated people who arrive in Plymouth. “One worker said she had noticed a dramatic improvement in the well-being of one of the women she helps since she started coming to the group.
“Another woman in her 70s hadn’t been along for a few years and then came here last week because she thought it would be nice to pop in. It’s like a support network for people whenever they need it. They’ll always get a warm welcome.”
For more information about the groups or if you want to share your expert knowledge and lead some sessions, please contact Vanessa Crosse on 07393128153 or email v.crosse@plymouthrec.org