ABOUT

Every Cloud Arts & Crafts started life as a shared idea and collaboration between two local charities - TWIGS (Therapeutic Work in Gardening in Swindon) and DASH (Discovering Autistic Spectrum Happiness), in recognition of the creative talent of individual service users, uncovered in their personal journey of recovery from poor mental health and /or the difficulties associated with the life-long condition of Aspergers. We identified the need for a stepping stone to support individuals to explore their full potential as artists and craftspeople.
 

Every Cloud Arts & Crafts registered as a non profit-making ‘makers’ co-operative in 2013 and moved into the Farmhouse at Stanton Country Park in 2016. The formal object of the Co-op is the “promotion of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being of the community, especially those who participate in the activities of the co-operative.”

Our Vision is to be permanently established in Stanton Country Park as an Arts & Crafts Centre in order to achieve a better quality of life for the wider community via engagement in well being and through creative arts/crafts , gardening and more.

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Our Mission  has been to help residents of Swindon who are talented artists and crafts people who need personal and professional support to overcome poor mental health and/or the difficulties associated with the life-long condition of Aspergers in order to fulfill their potential. Moving forward we hope to extend this support to the wider community. 

Our Values are those of self- determination, mutual support, democracy, equality, and equity because poor mental health often equates to loss – of employment, relationships, status, control and self – esteem. This is even more important as we move out of National Lockdowns where communities have been isolated due to the global pandemic. 

Our current activities include:

• Exhibiting & selling art and craft throughout the year;

• Offering volunteers personal and professional support;

• Sharing our skills with the community through a programme of art & craft workshops and children and families craft activities & events; 

• A volunteer led week-end kiosk and tea-room open to the public;

• A weekly art group in partnership with Swindon Community Navigators, part of Swindon Borough Council’s Health & Well-being Team;

• The creation of a Sculpture Garden for everyone.

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The Public Benefit:
Mental health problems are a common human experience. They can happen to anyone, at any time. They affect about 1 in 4 people in Britain and are the reason for over 50% of GP consultations.

Positively managing our own mental well-being can contribute to both the way we feel and how we cope with life’s daily stresses as well as those big life events that have the potential to knock us down and to become mental health problems.  The use of the arts to support health & well-being as a public health resource is now much more widely understood.

Every Cloud’s aim is to offer a therapeutic outlet to the community through creative activities and all year round inspiration from nature and the landscape in Stanton Country Park. We hope this will positively transform lives of our community in terms of  well-being and their hopes and aspirations for the future.

Developing opportunities for the community to engage in creative activities, in a country park setting that is tranquil and relaxing, effectively doubles the value of the experience and improves the quality of life and mental and emotional well-being of all those who take part.

If you would like to support us, why not consider becoming a volunteer?

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Contact Anne on 07796 530 560 for more information about the opportunities available.

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