This week, we officially launched our Community Bridge Programme, supported by The Worshipful The Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Cllr Will Pascall. The Community Bridge will reach beyond existing programmes on offer within the hospital walls and support the immediate health and longer-term wellbeing of our local community. The event took place at the Mayor’s Parlour and showcased some of our Arts for All workshops currently running at the Trust.
The Mayor commented, ‘CW+ is developing partnerships across the Borough which will enable them to signpost people to further activities, so that they may continue to have access to the arts, helping to improve their health and wellbeing. In my role as Mayor, I meet many organisations in the borough who share the similar goals as CW+ and I am only too pleased to be able to connect these groups to each other.’
The Community Bridge was developed to bridge the gap between discharge from hospital and the community in the hope that we can ultimately reduce emergency re-admissions, pressures on GP practices and social isolation. Guests at the event heard from some of the valued partners of the CW+ Community Bridge Programme, who spoke about the importance of community outreach. Susan Rudnik from Latimer Community Art Therapy (LCAT) spoke about the profound impact that LCAT has had in the North of the Borough, especially after the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Professor Victoria Tischler spoke about her research and evaluation project which CW+ is supporting: The Imagination Café is a pop-up event for those suffering from loneliness and dementia.
CW+ CEO Chris Chaney, and the Mayor discussed the new opening of the CW+ Studio: a bespoke space within Chelsea and Westminster Hospital which will be open to the community and become a hub of cultural activity. This exciting development will capitalise upon the already thriving Arts for All programme.
We were delighted to welcome Artists from our Arts for All programme and encouraged visitors to partake in the workshops and learn about the various crafts that CW+ brings to patients. Cai Tomos and Natasha Lohan led a group singing and creative movement workshop, and Akademi displayed some of their popular South Asian dance exercises. Mindfulness coach Dr Trudi Erdington discussed how her techniques help to calm and relax patients. Interactive workshops included doodling and mind-mapping group A Space Between, reminiscence workshops with Museum of Brands, and mobile gardening exhibits from Hammersmith Community Garden Association. There was also music from Adrian Garratt, violinist, and Mark Levin, resident harpist.
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