Wellbeing community art group

Berwick Baptist Church’s art group has helped people feel in a better place emotionally and mentally - and some have also found faith

Eighteen months before the pandemic, our church began a community art group, writes minister John Hodgkins. Our primary aim was to create a safe place for people with mental health issues to come and be ministered to through the creativity and beauty of colour, and find creativity within themselves through all different styles and kinds of art.

We decided it would not have a faith base other than the church, that is, God’s people would be present.  This was to serve two purposes: first we’d qualify as a community group for funding and secondly it would make people of all faiths, beliefs and backgrounds feel comfortable to come along and join, without feeling there was a faith side to attending the group.

Through an art group and the art exhibition we held before lockdown, we have had people join our church and find faith.  On restarting the group, we have found people joining us again, and already feeling the benefits of being part of our creative art family that is developing, and feeling emotionally and mentally in a better place, through the fellowship of art and creativity.

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