A special exhibition to celebrate the work of Worcestershire patients has been launched in the county.
Severn Arts – based in St John’s, Worcester – is the venue for the St Richard’s Hospice exhibition.
The exhibition – themed around snowdrops – features work by both patients and volunteers at the hospice.
Mary Jenkins, Creative Therapist at St Richard’s Hospice said : “We are delighted to announce this new and exciting exhibition. Not only is the snowdrop our logo, it also symbolises hope and has provided a source of inspiration in our painting sessions.”
The exhibition will run until the end of the year. Opening times are 9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 4.30pm on Fridays.
Mary concluded : “Patients coping with illness often experience a complex array of emotions, feelings that may be difficult to express in a traditional support group. This is when art therapy can really benefit both them and their carers, offering them a tool to express their feelings.”
Trevor Jones, Chief Executive Officer at Severn Arts said : “We are really pleased to be able to help the hospice with this project. We understand that creative expression plays an important role in the mental health of everybody, helping to transform and enrich lives.”
The snowdrop theme is also part of the hospice’s Celebration Garden, where more than 1000 snowdrops have been installed in Worcester, a campaign which is encouraging people to celebrate someone or something special with a snowdrop.
The handcrafted flowers have been installed around the base of St Andrew’s Spire, under the watchful eye of Snowdrop, one of the 30 8ft giraffe sculptures currently in position in the city as part of the Worcester Stands Tall initiative.
The snowdrops will be on display until Monday 27 August as part of the Worcester Festival. At the end of the campaign, those who have secured a snowdrop – the symbol of St Richard’s – will be able to take them home as a keepsake or a gift.
Severn Arts works with schools and pupils across the region to deliver high quality arts and music tuition, projects and events with grant funding from Arts Council England. Severn Arts is the lead organization of the Worcestershire Music Hub and a key member of Worcestershire Arts Partnership. Since becoming independent from Worcestershire County Council earlier this year, the company has begun to work beyond its formerly purely educational remit to engage with the wider community.