Arts and Health Projects

The Derbyshire Arts, Mental Health and Wellbeing Group is involved in a number of development projects promoting
mental health and wellbeing in the County.

These include:

Reading and wellbeing project

Arts at the Heart- Erewash project with older people

BLISS project for early stage dementia sufferers

Evaluation Guidance

Advocacy, networking and events

The BLISS Memory project involved people living with dementia in the community- both people with dementia and those who live with and care for them

The project was created by the Alzheimer's Society and Arts Officers at North East Derbyshire and Chesterfield Councils. 

They wanted to address the loneliness and isolation experienced by people living with dementia, and provide enjoyable,
social activities to help them through a difficult time.

The team contacted Karen Woods and Karen Herrick, two experienced arts and health workers, who developed a project
which enabled people to try new arts and crafts skills, from using sewing machines and embroidery, to painting, model making
and textiles.

Two groups in Eckington and Chesterfield met over six weeks to learn these new skills, and work with photographs, images
and artefacts to talk about their shared memories and their lives

Everyone found the sessions enjoyable and many people found out about skills they didn't know they- or their loved ones-had.
Many said that they would continue to do arts and crafts activities together.They have created Memory Boxes which they will keep,
and can be used as the basis for reminiscence activities, and discussions with families and carers about their lives