Since 2004, Claire has worked with organisations where the production of art supports participants’ mental health and wellbeing. Situations include inpatient environments, at support groups and within a prison setting.
Claire’s extensive experience across a range of arts and health settings means that she works hard to safeguard the vulnerable participants, taking an ethical approach to her work and selecting a pace of work that helps improve self-esteem and provides a creative challenge. Partnership working with clinical professionals and support group specialists forms an important part of the work to enable the right level of activity to be developed and to enable longer-term support for clients to exist.
Gift packs distributed as part of Walking Apart/Walking Together 
Gallery Education: In partnership with galleries, Claire has worked with schools, communities, prisons and hospitals to deliver arts activity linked to the gallery programme. Example project: Harris Museum and Art Gallery with CAMHS in-patients at Royal Preston Hospital. Photography, assemblage and film making responses to ‘Nothing Happens, Twice’ exhibition 
Using symbols to consider how best to support a woman in the Perinatal period. Project with Refugee Women Connect 
The Many Uses of a Blanket, exhibition space with reading corner and a place to sit and connect with someone.
Previous projects have worked with clients including:
People shielding through Covid-19
Refugee Women Connect
HMP Wymott
Royal Preston Hospital CAMHS inpatient ward
The Foxton Centre, Preston
Time for Me, Perinatal Mental Health support programme
As Time for Me Arts Co-ordinator, Claire worked for a period of 8 years using the arts to support Perinatal Mental Health for mothers experiencing Post-natal depression and anxiety. The production of visual and written artworks through these 10-week programmes helped women to feel less isolated, more supported, more able to cope, and improved their mood and self-esteem. The negative impacts of perinatal anxiety and depression were reducing after attending the group.
Claire has undertaken Trauma Awareness Training, Neurodiversity Training, Mental Health First Aid Training, regularly attends Safeguarding Refresher training and holds an Enhanced DBS Update Certificate.
If you’d like to discuss a project working in your setting, please get in touch here