Birmingham Centre for Arts Therapies [BCAT] are a mental health organisation providing therapeutic workshops to benefit the wellbeing of the older community across Birmingham.
In January 2021, Birmingham Centre for Arts Therapies [BCAT] were awarded £10,000 from the Northfield & Edgbaston Neighbourhood Network Scheme [NNS] Fund to enable the continuation of their arts-based therapeutic workshops during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Richard Mole, Arts in Health Lead at BCAT explains:
“The workshops are to create safe spaces for the community for free. It’s about getting people in a room to talk and the art is a distraction. There’s no barriers, anyone at any level can join but people pick up new skills and new hobbies, it helps to distract from the negative stuff going on in their lives.”
The sessions introduce mindfulness activities such as breathing exercises to reduce anxiety and promote positive emotions, followed by the art activity. Jayne Cooke, a facilitator for BCAT shared:
“I love every minute of running these workshops, it’s helped me grow as well. I introduce them to different arts, art therapy is proven to help with mental health, I’ve noticed our service users’ wellbeing improve, especially a reduction in panic attacks. They feel like they’re part of something!
“We have around 12 people per session, it’s so beneficial in the community, it’s great to connect and relax, it’s all positive, they feel lighter after.”
We caught up with one beneficiary, Tracey, who was signposted to BCAT from her GP after suffering from a mini stroke which led to ill health and PTSD. She shared:
“I lost my job due to my mini stroke so I wouldn’t have been able to afford art therapy so it’s great these are free and accessible. It’s got me out of the house. I’ve met people from various walks of life who’ve become friends, making social connections that had been lost through a combination of lockdown and illness.
“I’ve been able to express myself through the art activities even when I haven’t felt like speaking. These sessions have been so great for my mental health and others I’ve spoken to at the sessions have said the same. You feel safe there which is important.”
Tracey has enjoyed the sessions so much that she brought her mother and friends along and asked Richard to deliver additional workshops at a venue closer to her home which runs weekly.
Richard concluded:
“We’re totally reliant on grant funding, it’s not just about BCAT going out to do community work, it’s a salary for Jayne, it supports Tracey with her mental health, it helps the organisation offer something creative and different to the community, it gives volunteering opportunities that lead to careers.”
If you’d like to apply for funding please view our Available Grants here.
