We are fundraising for our long-term membership programme that supports adults with a diagnosis of severe mental illness as we move to a new site. Your support will help provide creative workshops, studio space, volunteering and exhibition opportunities, and trips to cultural venues for our members.
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
For over a decade many mental health services in Lewisham have been cut or withdrawn completely, leaving people with little access to the support they need to improve the quality of their lives. Severe mental illness is estimated to affect 1.12% of Lewisham’s population, which is much higher than the national average of 0.95% (figures from the Office of Health Improvement & Disparities, 2021-22).
Solution
Through our long-term membership programme, we provide a welcoming and safe space for people with a diagnosis of severe mental illness to participate in creative activities from painting to printmaking, in an informal and non-clinical setting. Everyone is given the time and structure they need. Through this, our members find support in their recovery as they connect to the power of artistic practice and participate in creative activities. We use art and creativity as a vehicle for recovery.