Artwork created for Mental Health Awareness Week goes on show across Reading

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Artwork has gone on display across Reading this weekend, having been created as part of a mental health project.

The Threads of Resilience project allowed people receiving mental health support to express themselves, with the finished pieces on show to mark Mental Health Awareness Week.

Sessions where the art was created have taken place over a year with the assistance of artists and health professionals.

Joseph Silvanos, one of the artists involved in the project, said: “I’ve dealt with a lot of mental issues myself, with my own mental wellbeing, so I’ve learnt through art how to empower myself in a lot of ways, it’s taught me a lot about patience, consistency, resilience, so passing some of these on to the workshop participants has been quite fulfilling for me and them as well.

“I’ve found the feedback from the participants that it’s been quite therapeutic, it’s an incredible way to get the community together, doing creative projects together can really help dealing with a lot of the issues we face, particularly loneliness.

“I’ve volunteered for quite a few different small organisations and they all have these art projects which are really vital, but there just doesn’t seem to be enough funding being given to them, which is such an important thing for the resources that they need to support the people in their communities.”

Art sessions have been coordinated by Together for Mental Wellbeing, a national support organisation, in partnership with Reading Borough Council and Reading Voluntary Action.

Charlotte Hardick, drama therapist and the Winter Wellbeing project lead, said: “We were generously funded by the council to run a six-month project to support people who were patients at Prospect Park Hospital.

“Whilst they were in hospital I was running creative wellbeing sessions, workshops, psycho-education courses, and then similar projects in the community, so when people are discharged from hospital they could still access that service.

“Hopefully we are preventing readmission.”

Farah Taha, another artist involved in the project, said: “It creates a coping mechanism for the attendees of the workshops to find a way to cope with life, and the hardships you face.

“Art helps to journal, patterns and repetition can be used as a form of therapy.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to have and Together has done a great job of coordinating this.”

Fellow artist Waleid Yasir said: “I’ve found the project really helpful, the workshops have helped me to be able to learn and communicate.”

Andre Silva, service and oversight project manager at Together, said: “We want to work in partnership with the council to try continue these projects.

“The council has been one of the more important partners with the community to support people with their mental wellbeing.”

The display at the Central Library was attended by Tony Page, the Mayor of Reading.

He said: “This is an example of good public sector cooperation between various agencies because we all have our own sets of responsibilities, but when it comes to addressing those wider community needs such as mental health, working with refugees as well as others, it’s positive to have this collaboration.”

The art is being displayed at the following locations: