Creativity Works named national charity nominee by Care UK Wellbeing Foundation

Company news

Jul 04, 2014

A national charity based in Radstock, Somerset, which uses creativity to help people living with mental health challenges and other difficulties, has received a special commendation and donation from Care UK, the UK’s leading health and social care provider.

Care UK recently launched the Care UK Wellbeing Foundation, a charity set up to promote health and wellbeing among the most vulnerable in society.  The charity has three core aims – to carry out research into what enhances wellbeing, to fund local grassroots causes, and to support a national charity throughout the year with a donation and fundraising efforts.

For the national charity, the Care UK Wellbeing Foundation conducted a nationwide search for a cause which reflected the theme of the foundation, which for 2014-15 is ‘promoting wellbeing through the arts’.  Creativity Works was shortlisted as one of the final three charities.

Creativity Works supports people in the community from a variety of backgrounds and with different conditions, from women suffering from post-natal depression, to those living with dementia.  The charity brings people together – professional artists, health experts and community groups, with activities that enable people to use creativity to improve their health and wellbeing.

The charity’s use of creative arts to better people’s lives made Creativity Works a natural nominee for the Care UK Wellbeing Foundation, as Belinda Moore, Group Marketing and Communications Director, explains: “Creativity Works is a shining example of how art can enhance people’s lives.  The charity helps people - many of whom are from disadvantaged communities or live with complex mental health conditions – to express themselves, have fun and integrate with their community.

“Creativity Works summarises what the Wellbeing Foundation is about, which is why they were shortlisted for our National Charity of the Year.  While Nordoff Robbins won the accolade it was clear that there was huge support and admiration for the great work that Creativity Works did, which is why we wanted to donate £2000 to the cause,” Belinda concludes.

Upon receiving the donation, Oliver Jones, director of Creativity Works comments: “We are thrilled to have been nominated for Care UK’s National Charity of the Year, and although we were not chosen, this donation of £2000 means a significant amount to us. We very much look forward to continuing our creative work with vulnerable communities that Care UK so generously acknowledged. We hope that we can work closely together in the future as the ethos and the aims of our organisations are so compatible.”

Photo caption: from L-R: Oliver Jones, Director Creativity Works, and Pamela Mackie at Hospital Director at Emersons Green Treatment Centre.