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On the 18th July 2023 the Kent & Medway Suicide Prevention Team brought together 11 art pieces which embodied the message of HOPE  in relation to suicide prevention. Each piece was created by artist and organisations from across Kent & Medway who collaborated with people with lived experience to create this powerful collection of art.

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This video captures the HOPE event at the Turner Contemporary

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Kent & Medway HOPE Community Arts Exhibition

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LOOKING FOR A CREATIVE SPACE TO CALL YOUR OWN?

Become part of our artistic family and rent your very own studio space. Whether you are a painter, illustrator, photographer, ceramicist, printmaker or jewellery designer, all are welcome at Nucleus Arts.

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LOOKING FOR A CREATIVE SPACE TO CALL YOUR OWN? Become part of our artistic family and rent your very own studio space. Whether you are a painter, illustrator, photographer, ceramicist, printmaker or jewellery designer, all are welcome at Nucleus Arts.

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An artist based in Medway, Mona has a background in secondary and special education teaching.

From workshops to education to commissions, Mona aspires to bring art and craft to all ages and those seeking escapism and relaxation in a calm and welcoming environment.

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What Do We Do? | Mona Whitton Art And Events

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An artist based in Medway, Mona has a background in secondary and special education teaching. From workshops to education to commissions, Mona aspires to bring art and craft to all ages and those seeking escapism and relaxation in a calm and welcoming environment.

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Local

BBC Radio Kent, Folkestone Libraries, Folkestone Living Advent Calendar, Folkestone Fringe events, KCC, County Hall Maidstone, Normal? Festival of the Brain, Folkestone Quarterhouse, Folkestone Foghorn, Profound Sound Festival, Silver Screen Cinema

National

Alzheimer's Society, BBC Ideas, BBC News Homepage, BBC Radio 3, Times Radio
British Library, Guardian, Independent, Journal of Dementia Care, Paul Hamec, Leeds Playhouse - 'Every Third Minute' festival of theatre, dementia & hope, Central School, of Speech and Drama, Central St. Martins, Cockpit Theatre, Free Word Centre, Normal? Festival of the Brain, Gallery @OXO South Bank, Middlesex University - Improbable's 'Global Improvisation Initiative', National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, National Theatre of Taiwan (NTCH), NHS AGMs, Norwich Theatre, Norwich Theatre Royal, The Dukes theatre, Lancaster, Nottingham University, Queen Elizabeth Hall (South Bank Centre), Royal Academy of Music, Royal Society of Public Health Royal Academy of Music, Salford University, Stratford Literary Festival, Tabernacle Toynbee, UK Dementia Congress, Wellcome Collection, Roundhouse, Westminster Council House, Salford Institue for Dementia and Ageing, Children and Young People's Conference led by the Self-harm and Suicide Prevention Innovation Partnership, At 'For Every Corner' Network with Southbank Centre and NAPA, Our, Screen Heritage, Future Learn - UCL

International

British Council, Taiwan, National Theatre of Taiwan (NTCH), Applied Improvisation Network at Alan Alda's Centre for Communicating Science, New YorkWorld Health Organisation 'Health For All' Film Festival

Local

Alzheimer's Society Ashford, Creative Folkestone, Folkestone Fringe, Folkestone Libraries, FHCLCT, Folkestone Town Council, Folkestone & Hythe District Council, Hythe Dementia Awareness Forum, Kent County Council, Kent Community Foundation, KMPT NHS, Medway Council, Martello Fund, Profound Sound Festival, Walker Construction, Future Foundry, Gulbenkian, Ideas Test, RDHCT, Screen South

National

BBC, Arts Council, Arts 4 Dementia, Created Out of Mind - UCL Dementia Research Centre/Wellcome, Danuta Lipinska, English PEN, FHCLCT, Mandy Barnet Associates, Resonate Arts, The Sick of The Fringe (now Something To Aim For), Wellcome, Westminster Memory Service, The Sick of The Fringe (now Something To Aim For), National Alzheimer's Society, Arts 4 Dementia, London Contemporary Voices, National Lottery Community Grants, Southbank Centre

International

British Council, East Side Institute (New York), Living Whispers (Taiwan)

488+ Living Words Books

People who work one-to-one with one of our Living Words writers will co-create and receive a copy of their own Living Words book. Staff and family also receive a copy, and we are able to share the book with family and friends. Plus we have so far published 4 anthologies - 'The Things Between Us', 'Living Warriors: Covid', 'Bringing The Inside Out', and 'Flux: Living Warriors.'

44+ Productions, Films, Songs...

Helping our participants' words reach a wider audience, we take their words and place them centre stage in our productions in theatre, performance, film, radio, installation, song, and podcast. Check out our most recent film commission for BBC Ideas starring individuals from our Flux: Living Warriors project - ' Overcoming self-harm.'

285+ Live Events

We have delivered 'Normal? Festival of the Brain' since 2015, a festival which brings science and the arts together to explore, question and connect around the festival themes. We always put on events - digitally and physically - for the projects we do, from everything to intimate and large-scale sharings, film screenings and theatre shows, to pop-up happenings, fundraisers, and interactive workshops.

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Please be aware we are in the midst of updating the Living Words website. In the meantime, check out the Living Words Youtube Channel if you haven't already, by clicking here. Workingwith peopleexperiencing dementiawho are isolated anddisempowered ABOUT LIVING WORDS We have had a tremendous amount of output 2020 - 2023, and are currently updating...

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Draw Hope is an inspiring collaborative art project that invites participants with lived experience of self-harm or suicide* to create unique, personalised tree mural using their footprints and handprints. Through various creative mediums, including drawing, painting, collage and text, individuals can document their past experiences and future aspirations. The project aims to promote creativity and self-expression, and welcomes participation from all, including remote contributors who can submit their work anonymously.

The Draw Hope project is part of the Kent County Council's Hope Community Arts Fund, which has supported over 15 different arts projects in the past five years. These projects have shown the positive impact that the arts can have, boosting confidence and providing a safe form of expression for participants.

Completed tree artworks were exhibited at the Turner Contemporary alongside works from other Hope Community Fund projects before embarking on a tour around Kent. This showcase coincides with the Baton of Hope journey, which aims to be the largest suicide awareness and prevention initiative in the UK, fostering necessary conversations and prompting appropriate actions.

*By this we mean those who have experienced or lived with suicidal thoughts or have attempted suicide.

Through a series of workshops, participants were guided through the creation of their own personalised tree using their own footprints and handprints and exploring a diverse range of creative techniques and mediums. Footprints form the trunk of their trees, while the branches and leaves take shape through the outlines of their outstretched arms and hands. Each footprint depicts a significant milestone in their lives, symbolising the steps that have brought them to where they stand today. Additionally, the handprints showcase their hopes and dreams for the future.

This project has served as a profound journey of self-reflection, empowering individuals to contemplate their past experiences and the limitless possibilities that lie ahead. Our stories are ongoing, and we continue to grow, with boundless potential awaiting us. Every tree created becomes part of a collective forest, together, they serve as a poignant reminder of the inner journey that each and every one of us embarks upon.

This project is a grantee of the 'Hope' Community Arts Fund from the Kent & Medway Suicide Prevention Programme.

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Draw Hope is a collaborative art project that invites people with lived experience of self-harm or suicide to create a personalised tree mural using their footprints and handprints. The project aims to foster creativity and self-expression through this reflective activity.

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Photogrammetry project in Chatham, encouraging people to share 3D digital stories about places and objects important to them and their wellbeing.

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If you are aged 10 - 25 and are in hospital because you've self-harmed, taken an overdose or if you are feeling suicidal; our specially trained staff and volunteers can come and support you. Check out our Projects Page to find your nearest Emerge Project.

EMERGE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU FOLLOWING A CRISIS ADMISSION TO HOSPITAL, HOWEVER, EMERGE ARE NOT A CRISIS LINE. IF YOU NEED IMMEDIATE SUPORT IN A CRISIS MOMENT, PLEASE CALL 999 OR GO TO YOUR NEAREST HOSPITAL A&E.

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We're Recruiting - See Our Latest Vacancies Today Emerge Projects Our youth workers support young people attending A&E because of self-harm or a suicide attempt. FIND OUT MORE Emerge Follow Up

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Questions or concerns? Want to help at Normal? Become a volunteer?

Send us an email: normal@livingwords.org.uk
*

Normal? Festival of the Brain is a Folkestone-based festival bringing arts, science and the way out there together to explore who we are, and what makes us tick.

Check out the Normal? Conversations podcast & visit the Normal? Festival of the Brain

Visit our social channels!

Tag us to share...

Learn more about past festivals by clicking here.

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Questions or concerns? Want to help at Normal? Become a volunteer? Send us an email: normal@livingwords.org.uk* Normal? Festival of the Brain is a Folkestone-based festival bringing arts, science and the way out there together to explore who we are, and what makes us tick. Check out the Normal?

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The website for Broadstairs Town Shed - A Broadstairs Town Team project

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The Broadstairs Town Shed is a volunteer led initiative.

A place for older people, (50+) to get together, and participate in meaningful and rewarding DIY/woodwork and metalwork-based activities.

Joining the Shed can help tackle loneliness and isolation, allows members to share and learn new skills, and increases community involvement & engagement.

The Shed works with many other local organisations and support groups, providing carpentry and woodworking skills to help those projects in turn.

The original Broadstairs Town Shed opened its doors in May 2014. It's been a team effort and we've had lots of local individual and business support to make it happen.

Now we are excited about welcoming even more people who'd like to get involved, either at one of our 3 days a week sessions, or to arrange a one off or regular activity for groups or individuals.

The Shed is a volunteer-led project from Broadstairs Town Team .

It's all about Community working together.

As the years go by, this exciting, life enriching project is going from strength to strength as it grows and more and more people are becoming involved.

Having outgrown the original Little Shed in Pierremont Park, we are now situated at much larger new premises, we call the Big Shed. On the Oakwood Industrial Estate, the Loop bus route.

Facilities include:

Well equipped woodworking workshop

Lathe room

Metal workshop

CNC & Laser Etching Workshop

Tablet computers

A welcome smile

A place to meet and share stories

Tea, coffee and always, biscuits, in pleasant upstairs kitchen/meeting room. ( The 'Mess')

The Shed is run by volunteer 'Shed Heads', supported by Shed Techs and our lovely Administrator, Debbie Meacham.

debbie@broadstairstownshed.org.uk

Background

'Men's Sheds' started in Australia and there are now over 1000 there, with Sheds in 20 countries, and almost 200 open or planned in the UK. They have proven to help combat loneliness and isolation and have a positive impact on older men's well being, quality of life and life expectancy.

Mike Jenn, past Chair of the UK Men's Sheds Association, has been a Shed member since the start.

His said :

"Joining a Shed can sustain a man's health in later life by adding purpose and creating friendships.

"We share good equipment, learn from each other, and chat while pursuing hobbies, working on community projects and making things to support the Shed."

Broadstairs Town Shed has had in the past support from Broadstairs Town Council, Thanet District Council, Kent County Council, Thanet Clinical Commissioning Group and other local groups.

TDC originally allowed us to refurbish, convert and then use what was previously a derelict building in Pierremont Park, Broadstairs, to create our shed with the help of a £50,000 grant from the National Lottery People's Millions - secured with the support of the whole community.

That allowed us to open in 2014.

Laura Sandys, MP for Thanet South opened our original Shed and gave our project her support, saying:

"I am delighted to support this fantastic project, which is truly community led.

Thanet has above average numbers of older people and it is vital that we do everything we can to ensure that older members of our community are not isolated. This project will really help."

We now have over 130 registered members, from all walks of life, all levels of ability who come together to make a new community group - our Shed 'family'.

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Broadstairs Town Shed, inspired by the Men's Shed movement, is a welcoming place you can come and do woodwork or other activities in the heart of our community.