‘Talking Points’ Project, Sam Davies Ward, Barry Hospital 

This Breathe Creative music and art project funded by Cardiff & Vale Health Charity provides a positive focus for the patients of Sam Davies Ward, the rehabilitation ward in Barry Community Hospital. Weekly music and art workshops bring patients together and reminds them of their strengths, their resilience, their sense of humour and creativity. 

As part of the project the patients have been talking about and sharing their favourite memories, songs and places. Inspired by their stories, songs and art work, illustrator Emma Jones has created two murals for the hospital garden. 

‘Woven Memories’ Mural 

Some of the stories which inspired this mural:

“I used to love drawing landscapes, lakes, countryside – the teacher said I was excellent at it.” 

“They named my sister ‘Seren’ – my mum was expecting and they saw a shooting star so they named her Seren.”

“I used to grow up on a farm with lots of animals, prize ones. My father got knocked over by a bull, the men on the farm were trying to find a space to pull him out and they couldn’t, then my nan came, she grabbed hold of a tablecloth and threw it over the bull’s head and was able to save my father.” 

“I remember we were told not to jump in the pond, but as soon as you tell a child not to do something, the first thing they go and do is that. My brother was first and we followed straight away; we went to school after. “ 

“My brother used to make a little boat and float it down the canal.” 

“My father used to train horses, he put the three of us on one horse, I was the youngest and I sat on the back.” 

“My mum was in hospital for a long time and we missed her, even the dog missed her. The dog found his way to the hospital and stayed outside the ward, waiting for her, a nurse saw him and asked the Sister if the dog could come in to see my mum for 5 minutes. They let the dog in and even allowed him to jump into bed with my mum. He was a lovely dog, a terrier. My mum was over the moon.” 

“The nurses are very caring and are always there when we need them.” 

“I used to go and watch the hot air balloon going up in Bristol, there used to be hundreds going up.” 

“I had my birthday while I was in hospital and the grandchildren couldn’t come in because of COVID. They shouted outside my widow ‘Nan, Nan!’ – they had made a cake for me and set off little fireworks. The little one decided he would send a balloon up to me but it wouldn’t float, ‘I’m sorry Nan it’s not windy enough and won’t reach you!’, he was trying to blow it up to me.” 

“I lived in Cardiff for many years, I got married and got 5 children and 14 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren and one on the way. I have a big family. I am making a blanket for my new great grandson. I made a blanket for all of them.”

“My son is 62 and I still have the blanket I made for him when he was born. I crochet everything for the babies, hats and booties.” 

“I love cats and I love elephants. I think they are beautiful creatures. Very intelligent. I love cats because you can cuddle cats but I can’t have one because my husband has Asthma. When my husband was 90 we had a surprise party for him, just the family, it was 45 of us! We used to go dancing together in Cardiff. “ 

“My favourite place in the world is in Sicily, the sea is so blue, there is no tide, you can walk out nearly a mile and the water will only come up to your waist, the water is so clear you can see the fish swimming in it.” 

“I paid 50 pence to see the Beatles so 50 pence now would be a lot more. My favourite song in those days was Please, Please Me. The concert was in a Dance Hall, they came on at 11pm and only played for half an hour.” 

“I was 18 when I joined up and at 19 I went to Australia and spent three years in the Navy during the war. I was 25 years in Insurances then, going round houses selling insurances, it was hard going. I nearly went back into the Navy but I was stopped by a young girl, I bumped into my wife and ripped up my application! We met in church, one day she gave a look – I can’t describe it – it was a look that told you everything you wanted to know. Two and a half years after asking her out on that step, we stood there as man and wife. We got married in the same church, I was just under 24 and she was 20, and we have been married ever since, 75 years, she met me and she stuck to me. We had had some marvellous holidays together on our own and with our children.” 

“When we got married I had a motorbike and we flew off together.” 

“My husband was in the RAF in the 60’s and he was ill in hospital in Singapore. I flew out to be with him, it was so very different to anything I had every seen before, just going shopping was an adventure!” 

“There is an old saying there is nowhere like home. It is lovely to go, but it is lovely to come back.” 

‘Growing over Time’ Mural  

Some of the stories which inspired this mural:

“We used to go to Brindels in Barry, on the Knapp, right by the sea. We used to go dancing there every week, with our entire family. It was wonderful, they had a pianist and live music.” 

“We used to do Ballroom Dancing. It was always very busy and exciting, we would all dress up – mini dresses – not too much make-up. We had lots of fun.”

“There was a big glitter ball. We had a cup of tea and cake. We didn’t see any alcohol.”

“The boys used to sneak out and have a cigarette.They offered one to me,  I tried but didn’t like it.”  

“I met my husband there. When I first saw him I knew he was the one. He used to walk me home after the dance. I lived on the other side of town, and my mum would say ‘Barbara, you behave yourself! .”

“There was a strong sense of community then. We looked out for each other.”

“I was the rock and roll girl, I could do all the moves and my boyfriend at the time threw me up into the air.”

“My brother took me to see Elvis in Cardiff when I was 15. It was electric, I will never forget it. I can’t choose a favourite song, I love them all. I was such a fan.”

“We didn’t have much growing up but my brothers and I shared everything, even an orange.”

“I was 100 in March, born in 1923. I had a big birthday party. When I was little I had a dream I wanted to ride a white horse in the Rocky Mountains and marry a cowboy. When I was 50 I went to Canada and lived on a ranch for three weeks. I rode a white horse. I didn’t get married to a cowboy but to a carpenter from Wales. It wasn’t easy because he had to go off in the war, just after we got married and I didn’t see him for over 2 years, it wasn’t easy when he got back, but we weathered the storm.”

“My husband played rugby, he bought his dinner suit at the jumble sale at the rugby club, it was way too big! When he came calling for me he had to hold his suit together at the back. My mother thought that was very funny.”

“I met him in a pub, he came with some friends. He offered to get me a drink. I declined as I didn’t know him. Little did I know that I was going to marry him less then two years later.” 

“We used to dip our petticoats into sugar water and put them dripping wet on the washing line to make them stiff. We used the same sugar water to make our hair stand up.”

“My husband couldn’t dance. When we went out, I always danced with my mother and he watched us.”

“I met my husband at work, he invited me out to watch a film. I liked him, we had been friends for a while, he was a caring person, very kind and lots of fun. He had a car, we used to go on trips and go camping – I preferred that to staying in a hotel. We married a few years later and had a happy marriage and three daughters.”

“My parents were very strict, I had to go past the graveyard on the way home. I remember being more scared of being late than of going past a graveyard in the dark.”

“My cousin introduced me to his friend he was tall, dark and so handsome. We were married for 77 years and had a wonderful life together. In the 50’s it was a bit grim after the war, so we emigrated. He got a job abroad, he went first and I followed.”

Photo Gallery 

Memories by 

Patients from Sam Davies Ward, Barry Community Hospital 

Artwork created by Emma Jones

Projects facilitated by Katja Stiller, Jacob Meadowcroft, Mike Fulthorpe

Funded by 

Arts for Health and Wellbeing
Cardiff & Vale Health Charity
National Lottery Community Fund
ACW Logo

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