Art workshops on the wards

January 4, 2019

Featured in the Express & Star

Talented students from Sandwell College made a trip to a West Midlands hospital this month, to engage patients in a variety of simple and fun arts and crafts activities.

The creative workshops, which are jointly organised by the charity Kissing it Better and Sandwell College, aim to bring arts into hospitals to “brighten up” patients’ days. The students visited children and elderly patients at Sandwell Hospital, which is run by Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust (SWBH). 

Jackie Roxborough, Project Lead and Practitioner for Kissing it Better, explained: “We are delighted to work with Sandwell College and the Trust  to deliver this initiative.

“After talking to patients and staff, we felt that having creative workshops within hospitals would greatly benefit patients. Sometimes patients can spend time alone in hospital and engaging activities are just what they need to help them feel brighter.

“We have worked with Sandwell College on other projects, and felt that patients would benefit greatly from sessions with art students. We are glad that this initiative has been taken on board by both organisations.”

Mardeen Blbas, one of the students, said: “I’m so happy to be part of this project. When I first heard about it, I couldn’t wait to come in and work with patients.

“It was a great joy to see the young patients’ smiles when I showed them how to colour 3D animation pictures. I feel that I’m part of a large community where my skills can make a difference to someone.”