Hello there folks I’m back, three quarters of the way through and starting to evaluate the project, shocked at just how much we have done! During the last 5 months we will be wrapping a few groups up and leading them into new things; some are finding their . . .
→ Read More: AFH – Summer update]]> Perranporth Surgery Arts – Summer Review

Hello there folks I’m back, three quarters of the way through and starting to evaluate the project, shocked at just how much we have done! During the last 5 months we will be wrapping a few groups up and leading them into new things; some are finding their own way and just one brand new one…..and also sadly thinking about finishing. Enjoy your summer and Thankyou for your support all of you.

Art group – ‘life’s a Beach’ This group has finished now, but not over. You will by now have seen our magnificent painting from this group in the waiting room. Some of the group have begun a N.C.F.E ( National Certificate in Further Education) with Cornwall College Adult Advisory Group, and some meet regularly still with Kate to work on other pieces. I am currently trying to find more funding to pay an artist to work with both patients from this group and from Diane’s group…..watch this space!

Knitting the sea (Previously the Craft/ Embroidery Group) The Crafting group had its ups and downs but finally settled in its new location at Perran Bay Home. Residents who are all registered patients at the surgery worked with volunteers to create a wall hanging based on the theme of the bay. The result Was an amazing two meter long bejewelled spectacle complete with cuttle fish, octopus and starfish! This will be hung in the waiting room very soon.

Perran Bay had also asked for help from us with running a cookery group for their clients. One of the hardest things for many of the ladies is not having the facilities to cook them selves. We contacted Health Promotion who fun a group called ‘Eat-some’ and now they are running weekly baking sessions with clients.

Women’s body image Val Stagg, who is a voice and reiki and shiatsu therapist, and has been working with a number of women in a group session called ‘SoundWaves’ since April. The women have been working with healing voice and relaxation techniques. They have been so popular that we extended them and are currently trying to find ways of funding it so that it can carry on…watch this space!

Gardening group – ‘Ugrow’ This group is designed as outreach for our clients with learning disabilities. The plan is to link them up with Glencarne Nurseries in Barkla Shop, where they can join together in a programme of learning and make new friends. These sessions have been a long time in the planning and now have the backing of The Duchy who will be tutoring the sessions and Adult Social Care. The plan is that they will be 6 sessions run as a pilot, for three hours on a Thursday morning beginning in September. With pick up and drop off at the surgery by minibus. If you have a letter sent to you or would like to join the project then please do contact the surgery for more information.

3D art group This was run as a spin off from Kate’s’ group. We wanted to lure more men into the groups and as a result we invited multi-media artist Diane Spiers for 14 sessions. They were working on themes of networks and have created a might sculpture for the surgery which will be a visual wonder…..This piece will be installed by the middle of July. You won’t believe your eyes. Many thanks to Diane and all her group, and as mentioned earlier, we are working with Cornwall College to find ways of continuing with our art groups.

Celebration Ideas As I mentioned earlier, we finish this project at the end of November which isn’t long. We have so many images, photographs, painting, feedbacks and creative writing pieces that we thought it would be a nice idea to create a book of the journey. We hope to publish a copy so that we have a great record of what we have achieved. We would like to launch this on a dark evening in November and invite all of you along to help us reflect on how far we have come as well as celebrate or achievements. If you have anything that you would like to suggest for the book or for the celebration then please do contact the surgery…be nice to leave with a bit of a do.

Lastly thank you to all my hard working volunteers, you know who you are…without you these projects wouldn’t happen! Have a good summer and wear lots of sun cream!!!!

Lollie X

Lollie

Hello there folks, I’ve certainly enjoyed . . .
→ Read More: AFH – Spring Update]]> What a wet and windy winter it has been! Thanks for all your support in the past six months. I have really enjoyed my time here so far and am looking forward to what the next year has in store
I hope you enjoy this update,

Lollie

Hello there folks, I’ve certainly enjoyed working with you all!

Art group

Well the group has gone from strength to strength and is about to finish after 4 months. They have worked so hard and have formed some great friendships as a result. In the next month the finished work will be displayed in the surgery. It will consist of 12 painted panels that together make one spectacular view of the bay. I have seen some of the finished panels and I am so impressed.

Coming from different background, a lot of the group said that said they couldn’t draw or paint,…its not true; they have come a long way with the help of artist and facilitator Kate Cocksedge. I well let you form your own opinions, but I think they should be really proud of their achievements

We are starting a 3D art group after Easter, if you are interested or have had a letter from your GP, then please do leave your name at reception. 

Walking group.

The walks are fortnightly on a Wednesday. These have proved to be really popular. Leslie Hallsworth and her colleagues who are both covered by public liability and are qualified first aider’s. To help her cover this expense we are asking members to donate £1 for each week they attend. Please contact her direct on 01872 573629 to book a place after you have registered your interest with the surgery.

We would like to some kind of display or booklet for the walking group, and are seeing if we can in some way combine it with art. When you arrive and register for the walk at the desk, Cassie (our Charming receptionist) will give you some information about collecting stories, pictures , photos and poems. If you feel able to contribute to this then it would be greatly appreciated. Please leave any submissions at reception. 

Crafting and embroidery group

We have been running this group for sometime, and although its only small its thriving and has produced some fine work. We started off the group in November with the help of Beryl Curnow from the W.I.

What are you doing now I hear you cry?! We are knitting the sea…using anything we can get our hands on ‘plastic wrap’, where we made bookmarks and coasters. For Christmas we made decorations for the surgery. We had the message tree tags and the present offerings on the boat. It was a nice way for visitors to make a promise to themselves or to write an anonymous prayer or message on our tree. Some of the responses were very touching.

We meet as from Monday the 11th Feb, we are collaborating with Perran Bay Care Home. We will be meeting at 10:30 – 12pm to continue the project. We are knitting ‘sea coloured’ strips with plastic, wool and fabric. We will attach them all together to form a wall hanging for the surgery.

If you would like to come please do, but please ring the Care home before hand on: 572275

Women’s body image

Ladies who have had body changing surgery have been asking about support groups at the surgery. There are a number of clients who might benefit form something tailor made to help them adjust to their change in body image.

Val Stagg, who is a voice and reiki and shiatsu therapist, works on helping women to express themselves and their womanhood. Val designed workshops for a small number of clients which will be movement and voice based.

The group will be small, no more than 10 and will be attended by myself and perhaps a counsellor from the surgery so that the group had someone they could identify with after the sessions. Val also talked about a group of follow up sessions of two hours or so on 2-4 consecutive fortnights to ensure that the group had a forum to discuss anything that had come up.

Over 70 patients from the surgery have been contacted to attend the taster session on the afternoon of 26th Feb. If you have had a letter, please do come if you can.

Gardening group

This group is designed as outreach for our clients with learning disabilities. The plan is to link them up with Glencarne Nurseries in Barkla Shop, where they can join together in a programme of learning and make new friends. If you have a learning disability or have a member of your family does, please contact for more information.

Writing Group

This is another possibility for the new year as many of the patients that are currently attending groups have asked for it. I do have some writers in mind, and will give it some more thoughts and get back to you.

Other News

Our thanks to Kate Cocksedge for running the art group. She has worked so hard to keep it going and has made it such fun for all involved. She has nurtured them and now with her guidance, the group is about to go onto other things.

Also another thank you, this time for Leslie and Katy for running the walking groups…whatever the weather! Hats off to them, rain, shine and loads of wind, they have been there. Leslie puts in so much effort to make the walks interesting, informative and varied and thanks to all the hard work they are a great and popular success.

Lastly thank you to all my hard working volunteers, you know who you are…without you these projects wouldn’t happen!

Have a good spring and enjoy the artwork and groups.

Lollie X

Over . . .
→ Read More: AFH – Autumn Update]]> I have been in post now for two months now and the project has got off to a flying start! I have all sorts of things planned for the surgery. Not much of a summer, but the sun is at least showing itself now.good job we ran our sun safety campaign in time!

Over 2 days in August we interviewed 241 patients and some of the results were a little shocking. There were a number of patients who were still wearing baby oil or olive oil, some who had already had skin cancer or others who used oil and had sun beds. From the information we got from the patients we invited them to join us in making a huge colour coded sun for display in the waiting room. I also invited ‘Soltan’ to assist us with educating the patients and it was a real success and I hope it will make some lasting difference to the way some people manage themselves in the sun. Please see all of the sun care information on the ‘Arts in Health’ notice board; its interesting reading! 

completed sun

Our next project starts next Monday (17th Sept) this is for those patients or carers who are either lonely, isolated or depressed. ‘Life’s a Beach’ will be run on the beach for 4 sessions with myself and then artist Kate Cocksedge will be taking the group for the following 6 weeks and will be working with the group on a collective piece to create a 8ft x 3 ft canvas for the back of the surgery which will be of a view of the bay. We have 7 confirmed places but there are some places left, so please book yours now! I am also advertising an embroidery group to begin this autumn for patients over the age of 60. Perranporth can be very isolated in the dark months ahead, so why not join a social group and learn something new or help others learn. For more information contact the surgery.

Other projects to look our for are the flu clinic art drop ins, so whatch out for me if you are planning on having a flu jab, and also the planter in the centre of the surgery is about to change. Watch this space for details.

My job has three aims: