The felting class was just what I needed – therapeutic, relaxing, fun, creative, and so totally absorbing…I forgot to feel sorry for myself!

The felting class was just what I needed – therapeutic, relaxing, fun, creative, and so totally absorbing…I forgot to feel sorry for myself!

Unbeknown to me this sequence of apparently insignificant events was also to prove life-changing!

I entered the bear into the local show handicrafts section, whereupon it won first prize. Encouraged, I made another; then several more. I called them my ‘Fell-Teds’©, which I thought rather ingenious, as it describes them perfectly.

I created individual names, characters and little stories about them. These tales became ‘The Fell-Ted Chronicles’©, children’s storybooks which I not only wrote, but also illustrated - in watercolour!

Then, I set up my own publishing company (3WME) and launched the first three titles last May, just one year after my accident, (from which I luckily made a speedy and full recovery).

Currently, the fourth Fell-Ted title is in production. Also, by popular demand, Fell-knit-Ted© kits; so anyone can enjoy making their own. Both these products are being launched in June at Woolfest 2010, where I’m also demonstrating felting, alongside Julie, my felting tutor!

So, thank you Spinning Yarns for making accessible the opportunity to experience new arts and crafts in a sociable setting; for enriching my life and contributing greatly to my recovery. I have enjoyed learning new skills, making new friends, and as a result (quite literally by accident), discovering I am an author and artist! Without your activities neither the Fell-Teds nor their storybooks would exist.

'

’

A whole new ‘retirement career’, proving that it’s never too late to learn something new!

‘

‘

Maureen Barrow Group

'

’

‘

‘

I am over sixty-five and suffer from osteoarthritis. A friend told me about Spinning Yarns. I decided to join because I wanted to make new friends and learn different crafts. I have particularly enjoyed making jewellery and painting on glass and I have been able to use all the things that I have made. I feel that I have achieved something. The activities have kept my mind on other things and helped me forget my pain.

I was shy, lacked confidence and was nervous about going to different places, but I have found that with other people around we help each other and I have been able to ‘reach out’ to others in the group and help them too. Through the links with my church, I have also used the craft techniques with children in local schools and with a Bible Study Class.

Some of the craft skills I had never heard of before, so it has been nice to learn different skills and then work on them at different places with other people. Some techniques I have found difficult because of my physical disabilities but the teacher has helped me overcome these problems.

'

’

I think it is good for young and old to come together. We can build up the community by working together so that all ages can learn to respect one another.

‘

Ella Appleby Group

I am in my seventies. I have particularly enjoyed felt and jewellery making and have found the activities useful because they have helped me to keep my hands mobile.

I have been coming to Spinning Yarns for six years and even though we have moved to Ullswater and it takes me over half an hour to get to the classes I still return so that I don’t lose my links with the group.

'

’

My husband is disabled and keeps having falls, so he needs someone with him nearly all the time. I really look forward to the sessions otherwise I would not get out. Even if my husband is lying bleeding on the floor I still try to come! I am receiving counselling to help me cope with the situation but Spinning Yarns has helped tremendously as well.

‘

Jo Egremont Group: previous participant

'

’

I am 70 years old and retired. I moved to Cumbria in 2004. Spinning Yarns helped me to meet people. It is a group that helps many people. I was already a ‘crafty person’ and I was looking for ‘social groups’ so I decided to join Spinning Yarns which I had heard about through ‘local gossip’. I particularly enjoyed the art sessions: painting with watercolours, drawing with pastels and painting a plaque. I found that I had ability to paint and that is now where my main interest lies. After four years I ‘progressed’ from the art groups with Spinning Yarns and now attend three others, one of which clashes with the Spinning Yarns sessions as they are on the same afternoon. I have still found the Spinning Yarns’ sessions ‘hard to beat’ and I hope it can continue so that other people can benefit.

‘

Sheila Longtown and Carlisle Groups: previous participant

I am in my seventies and retired. A lady at my church told me about Spinning Yarns because she thought I would enjoy it. I have arthritis in my knees and hips but I found that Spinning Yarns was a good leisure activity that I could manage. I particularly enjoyed the art workshops. The oversight of the lecturer was very helpful so that everyone turned out a picture that they could be proud of.

The service is invaluable for pensioners like myself as it completely enthuses you with what you can produce. The sessions raised my self esteem because I realised that I wasn’t ‘just a housewife’ but someone

with a gift. It stopped me worrying about things by getting me involved so it helped to improve my health and sense of ‘well being’. My confidence increased because I found I could excel in something and everyone was supportive of my efforts. It got me involved in something I used to do in the past but taught me different techniques.

'

’

‘

‘

I retired from my profession early. I am now over sixty-five. I am waiting for a hip replacement and have some hearing loss. I live in Dumfries and Galloway but heard about Spinning Yarns through the local networks. I was impressed by the user description and so decided to come along. I enjoy the recreational aspect of the sessions in particular the water colour painting and painting on china. I have even managed to sell one of my paintings. The money was not important but it has boosted my self esteem tremendously!

It is so therapeutic. It’s not just about the Big Society. Being able to paint helps people in other ways. I am just getting over a divorce and it helps me to meet people to make new friends and talk to people and develop new skills which are useful in other parts of my life. You can sit and talk to the person next door to you for half an hour and no one is bothered about that and I think that is important. You’re there as a group and it is not just the art it is everything else as well. I have met some really nice people who I enjoy meeting outside the Spinning Yarns sessions.

I enjoy learning new skills and pursuing new interests. Since I have retired from my previous profession I am have taken on the responsibility for a regional voluntary service working within the NHS and I have become a director of a public company delivering services to people with mental health issues.

'

’

I have recently started a new hobby. I am taking old wrist watches apart and putting either a coin, stamps or a little photograph into the watch face and then people can use them as a pendant or a bracelet. Now I could show other people how to do that, it’s quite easy you know.

‘

Mary Longtown Group

I am over sixty-five and retired. I have been coming to Spinning Yarns on and off for five years.

I suffer from a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and osteoarthritis. My husband also has disabilities so Spinning Yarns helps me to get out of the home situation for a much needed break.

I am interested in learning more about painting and have particularly enjoyed painting on china and drawing with pastels. The painting on china was a new experience which showed me how I could further my artistic skills. Being able to draw with pastels is a skill that I have taken on over the years and being able to do this in an environment with an experienced tutor has helped me a great deal. I have developed my artistic skills and learnt new things by trying out different media.

Spinning Yarns has helped me to make new friends because I have met like minded people who are friendly. My self-esteem has been raised because my work has been appraised by others.

It has helped my health to improve because I have something to aim for and it lifts my mood. I have a greater sense of ‘well being’ because I feel I am achieving something when I am creative.

'

’

‘

‘

I had to retire early from teaching because of severe rheumatoid arthritis and many operations to replace fused joints. My specialism is stained glass – using the tiffany technique and leaded glass.

I was approached by the members of the Reiver Art group to run the workshops funded through Spinning Yarns. I am now 65 years old and it has been a tremendous opportunity to teach again after 11 years of retirement on health grounds and to work with a group of keen adults who have become equally fascinated by the ‘power of glasswork’.

Spinning Yarns has made a lot of difference to me because it has re-awakened the joy and challenge of working in glass for me personally. During the last 5 years I have completed several commissions of original work and a major repair to a 7ft X 2ft panel of leaded glass. I am now hoping to produce some Tiffany glass in my own home.

Having worked for almost 30 years in Art Depts in Secondary Education and teaching Adult Ed in evening classes, all situations that had specific structures and ends it took a few sessions with Reiver Arts to realise that students who come to classes on a voluntary basis needed to be approached differently. Older students who have had little or no creative opportunities are cautious in their approach when learning new skills with unfamiliar materials. They require a greater guarantee of a successful outcome than younger students. Their assessment of their own abilities tends to be low and needs much more support to enable them to believe that they 'can do it'. Creativity is a ‘journey of discovery’ which never ends. It varies and sometimes it takes the student down a dead end, but always there are good things to take from every experience, even the ‘disasters’.

'

’

3.1.1 Although the social benefits of participating in the Spinning Yarns programme were generally recognised and highly valued, more participants had initially joined the group because of their interest in the arts.

3.1.2 Once they were involved, participants continued to appreciate the opportunity to increase their social links, maintain and extend their friendship groups and share their achievements with others. The development of new skills, however, was a particularly important expectation.

3.1.3 When they reflected on the difference that the Spinning Yarns programme had made to their lives, participants felt that the programme had been most helpful in supporting them to learn new skills, make new friends and improve their sense of well being (in that order of priority).

3.1.4 Feelings of 'well being' and an increase in 'self confidence' were enhanced by:

• 
  being able to learn something new through a creative process which involved problem solving and responding to the challenge of working with different, or particular media / art forms
  
• 
  the sense of achievement gained by producing an ‘end product’
  
• 
  a sense of motivation, inspiration and affirmation derived from the feedback and encouragement given by the artists and fellow participants.
  

• 
  a distraction from pain and anxiety
  
• 
  an opportunity to maintain ‘hand to eye’ co-ordination and the mobility of joints involved in using fine motor skills
  
• 
  something to look forward to during the week.
  

• 
  maintain their social networks
  

• 
  involve themselves in creative activities which distracted them from the anxieties associated with being a carer
  
• 
  enhance their sense of ‘self worth’ through the achievement of an end product.
  

3.1.8 Artists welcomed the opportunity that the programme provided for them to extend their professional practice by working with older people with a diverse range of experience and expectations, including those with:

• 
  mental and physical health issues
  
• 
  existing skills and potential talent
  
• 
  the motivation to experiment and succeed.
  

3.1.10 Most participants would welcome the opportunity to extend their experience by working with different art forms, in addition to visual arts.

3.1.11 There was interest, from both the participants and the artists, in the development of a programme which:

• 
  more extensively involved people with specific mental / physical health issues
  
• 
  included intergenerational links
  
• 
  provided opportunities to celebrate and share their achievements with a wider audience.
  

• 
  the fees were low i.e. less than £5 per session.
  
• 
  for most participants, the venues were close to home i.e. a distance of less than ten miles.
  

• 
  increased petrol, insurance and maintenance costs
  
• 
  declining health.
  

3.1.15 Longer term sustainability: The role of the Prism Arts Project Manager in ensuring that the programme was efficiently co-ordinated was greatly appreciated. There was some interest by both participants and artists in:

• 
  advising on the direction and development of the new programme
  
• 
  supporting the skills development of other participants
  
• 
  becoming training to support people with specific mental / physical health issues to enjoy the arts.
  

The availability of adequate levels of funding was considered the most essential factor for the longer term sustainability of the programme.

3.2.1 The Social Return on Investment: The feedback from this evaluation indicates that the Spinning Yarns programme has addressed the social and creative needs of the older participants who have been involved.

The evidence of ‘impact’ that the participants provided was, however, limited to ‘generalised statements’ rather than the more precise indicators needed to calculate the ‘Social Return on Investment’, e.g. number of visits to doctors over a period of time.

A member of the Prism Arts Team should attend a training course about ‘Social Return on Investment’ (SROI) so that appropriate evaluation strategies can be introduced at the commencement of new programmes.

This should enable Prism Arts to:

• 
  gather appropriate data as part of the on-going evaluation process
  
• 
  inform participants about the purpose for this approach to evaluation and the type of information that they will be asked to provide.
  
• 
  produce quantifiable data to support qualitative evidence.
  

3.2.2 Age range: most participants were aged between 60-75 years. If resources are limited, it might be more appropriate to primarily target this age group in future.

There were indications however, that those who had ‘recently retired’ particularly welcomed the opportunity to pursue new interests and make new friends.

If a key priority for the future programme is to prevent the onset of mental and physical illness, it may be advisable to continue to include the ‘over fifties’ because in the current period of economic recession more people will be made redundant or obliged to retire early (Appendix 5c). As a result a higher proportion of the population may develop symptoms of depression, low self esteem and feelings of social isolation. If training for volunteers from within the groups is to be a significant feature of the next phase of the programme, those aged between 55-60 years may have greater physical and mental capacity to develop the skills essential for

supporting others and be more motivated to take on roles that will support the sustainability of the programme in the longer term.

3.2.3 Extending provision: the expansion of the programme to include a wider range of art forms and the possible inclusion of more participants with mental / physical health issues has implications for ‘quality assurance’ such as:

• 
  the recruitment of artists
  
• 
  the monitoring of the quality of the ‘arts experience’ provided for participants
  
• 
  the training of artists, carers and participants.
  

• 
  using art forms other than the visual arts
  
• 
  which target people with specific mental / physical health issues
  

• 
  workshop programmes
  

• 
  operational models
  
• 
  ‘quality assurance’ strategies
  

• 
  approaches to accreditation and training.
  

• 
  other organisations with expertise in delivering programmes specialising in art forms which the Spinning Yarns programme include the future
  

• 
  potential partner organisations for collaborative project development
  
• 
  agencies which might be able to contribute to Spinning Yarns programmes
  
• 
  training / accreditation frameworks and opportunities.
  

• 
  workshops which are primarily for people with mental / physical health issues e.g. dementia as well as those for older people with less specific needs
  
• 
  a combination of workshop provision and training
  
• 
  sufficient levels of subsidy / use of personalised payment scheme to maintain the low fees charged directly to participants
  

• 
  programmes in Day Centres as well as other venues in areas of high deprivation within Cumbria
  
• 
  Reference to ‘Providing the best’ the guidance for artists and arts organisations on assessing the quality of activities (Arts Council England 2006), is recommended as the framework for the new programme is being developed.
  

a) November# 2011: Prism Arts should apply through CHEST to register as an approved provider for Arts Programmes for Cumbria County Council Adult and Social Care Service Users (#Need to check deadline date on CHEST website). This will raise the profile of Prism Arts in providing arts based programmes suitable for meeting the needs of service users across Cumbria and increase the probability of managers in Day Centres / Residential Centres contracting Prism Arts’ to provide programmes to meet the needs of their service users.

b) There is currently no general scheme for GPs to provide ‘prescriptions’ for patients to attend arts programmes in order to address/ reduce mental illness. Individual GP Practices are however, introducing different procedures to facilitate / commission services. For example, the Court Thorn Surgery at Low Hesket has established a ‘panel’ called the ‘Feel Good Group’ who can independently commission services to meet the needs that have been identified in the communities served by the Court Thorn Surgery. Prism Arts is recommended to establish contact with Rachel Fleming, Eden Locality Director and member of the Cumbria Local Involvement Network (LINK): www.cumbria.nhs.uk

c ) Consideration should be given to ‘rolling out’ the programme to other localities where there is evidence of interest / need, including those outside Cumbria (e.g. Dumfries and Galloway). In these areas, Prism Arts might develop the role of lead agency / consultant to a more local organisation supporting them to extend and improve the quality of their provision / training.

3.2.7 Fee levels: Levels of funding through grants and commissioned contracts should be procured and access to other funding sources, such as the Direct Payment scheme for service users, should be used to minimise the fees that individuals will be required to participate in the Spinning Yarns programme (CCC Adult Education programmes could be a useful ‘fee benchmark’ from which the costs of individual sessions/ workshop programmes could be calculated).

3.2.8 Sustainability: funding should be provided to enable at least one of the existing groups to develop the internal management of their programme, so that in future, other groups have a ‘management model’ to encourage them to assume greater responsibility for the development and administration of the programme in their own vicinity.