A Carers’ Champion in Melksham has been using art to boost his wellbeing with the help of Creative Age Wiltshire (CAW), following years of being a full-time carer for his wife who had Alzheimer’s disease.
Local man, David Walker, has completed a five-week Creative Conversations course with CAW, where he has been working on a series of art projects to help him process his experience and connect back to social activities, after his wife died last August.
The Creative Conversations course provides a comfortable environment for individuals who can meet in small groups of four to six with like-minded individuals, or to meet one-to-one. It enables ex-carers, or anyone for whatever reason has not been able to be part of the community, to gain support and integrate back into social activities.
With the support of Rachel Heard from the Creative Conversations project, David has created a piece of artwork that has reflected his time as a carer.
Rachel said, “Something that David said really struck me from the start, he said that when he was caring for his wife, he would see the sky at all different times of the day because he was up at all different times of the day and night. He wanted to do something to reflect this. There’s lots of photos that we looked at together. We worked out what type of artwork he would like to create. He had idea about doing an abstract piece on the clouds. We then got to work and did a lot of paper marbling, papier-mâché and paper pulping.”
David said, “This has given me purpose to the week. I have done quite a lot of presentations about being a carer and also life after being a carer in my Carers’ Champion role and it can be quite difficult to get back out into society in a way that you feel most comfortable with. I didn’t want to join a big group of people, but wanted something that is constructive. When I saw this [Creative Conversations course] advertised in the Melksham News earlier this year, I liked the sound of it. There was four – five of us.
“We came into the library, we felt safe and comfortable, the others were lovely. We would speak about what we had to deal with and why we had come. Some were more creative than others.
“It has given a purpose to get up and get out. It’s very easy to lock yourself up at home and not go out. I wanted something creative. I did spend three years at art college and do have a creative background. I have an award-winning garden, I have won the Melksham in Bloom competition several times in different categories. I wanted to do something I could hang on the wall, something people would come in the house and comment on, it seemed ideal.”
Having now completed his final fifth session in the course, David plans to continue with his artwork after discovering that this is something he has enjoyed.
Speaking about his upcoming projects he said, “I was born in the north-east, as was my late wife. We used to do all our courting in Seaton Carew, years ago when we got married, we had a flat three doors along from where the famous canoe man lived.
“We used to do all our courting on the beach and a lot of walking. I came up with the idea to create another piece of art with the theme of sand, sea and sky. There will be clouds on there, silver bits on the sea for the waves and some gold flaky bits on the sand. I also have another couple of ideas that I want to do which I will do by myself.”
CAW is a county-wide project with the overall aims of promoting and enhancing the health and wellbeing of older people, particularly those who are socially isolated and vulnerable, and to increase social interaction in the communities through participation in arts, heritage, creative and cultural events to reduce isolation and help prevent loneliness.
There are four strands to help people with their wellbeing; Creative Conversations, Noticing Nature, and Outdoor and Indoor concerts and events.
The next Creative Conversations programme with CAW starts on 12th January in Melksham Library and is open to any older person in the town, who would benefit from engaging in a community activity to boost their wellbeing following isolation or loneliness.
The course will run from 1.30pm to 3pm every week for 10 weeks. People can sign up by contacting the library on 01225 702039.
For more information or to refer people to CAW, contact CAWSupport@wiltshire music.org.uk or call Rebecca Seymour, creative producer on 07955 249288
