Have you ever wondered how creative activities can help your wellbeing? Now people in Bodmin can find out for themselves with a new group that meets in the Reading Room at the Old Library every Wednesday morning.
For £5 you can experience two hours of guided creativity or art. All materials are provided, and at the end of the session participants are able to go home with something hand-crafted, drawn or painted.
The group is led by Emily File and Debbie Peachey, both of whom have a background in activities work and running therapeutic groups.
“Art is not just a hobby, it’s a way of life,” Emily said. “The way we see the world is: ‘I wonder what that could be turned into?’
“We both have a recycling ethos. You will often see us wearing homemade clothes and jewellery. Our homes are full of crafted things. It’s all about wellbeing. If every day you look at things that you’ve created with your own hands, it boosts your self-esteem. With creative work you enter a very focused mental state in which your brainwaves change, mind chatter quietens, and you bring something out from within yourself, so your finished piece of art reflects who you are.”
Debbie recalled the community’s reaction on seeing the group’s advertising poster: “We were overwhelmed by the positivity from all the people we spoke to,” she said. “Things have come a long way in the past 15 years, and now everyone knows the value of looking after our mental health and doing something to benefit our wellbeing. There is now a culture of supporting each other which is something intoBodmin is encouraging in our town. We want this group to be a sensory experience for people, a place to make new friends, to talk about wellbeing and be inspired.”
You can find out more at intobodmin.co.uk, or poke your head round the door of The Old Library and check out the events advertised in the foyer.