We create films and animations with our project participants in many of our projects and we also film some of our work as part of our evaluation process.
T1DE Talks
Four young adults talk openly and honestly about their difficulties of living with Type 1 Diabetes. They discuss how this affected their relationship with diabetes, their mental health and the disordered eating behaviours that went undiagnosed. They discuss their hopes for service development in Wales and what support people with T1DE may need. If you, or anyone you know, may be affected by any of the issues raised in this film and need support, please contact your local Diabetes team for advice.
T1DE Shorts
A group of young adults share their experience of living with Type 1 Diabetes and disordered eating through a series of short, home made films. If you, or someone you know, needs support please contact your local Diabetes team.
Facts about T1DE
This short animation introduces many of the difficulties that can arise when you live with Type 1 Diabetes, including disordered eating. If you, or someone you know, needs support please contact your local Diabetes team.
Mental Health and Wellbeing - the power of Community
For Mental Health Awareness Week in May 2025, our partners Cardiff and Vale Mental Health Forum (cavamh) brought its members together to celebrate their work and to share their experiences.
Mental Health Awareness Week is organised nationally by the Mental Health Foundation. We made this short film to hear what our partners in Cardiff and Vale Mental Health Forum thought about the power and importance of safe, positive communities and social connections for our mental health and wellbeing.
This #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek celebrates community, together for good mental health. We all need community - what's yours? #ThisIsMyCommunity
Nourishing Riverside 2025
As part of The Art Garden / Yr Ardd Gelf programme, funded by The Arts Council of Wales and supported by The National Lottery Community Fund, we have been working in partnership with The Wyndham Street Centre in Cardiff this summer. The Art Garden / Yr Ardd Gelf project builds upon the seeds of our Creativity and Nature for Wellbeing projects which we have been developing over many years with partners in Health, Social Care and the Third Sector in Cardiff and The Vale of Glamorgan.
Artist Anna Amalia Coviello facilitated creative ‘Nourishing Riverside’ sessions in June and July, working with with local children, young people, volunteers and visitors of the Wyndham Street Centre to design a colourful mural for the outside wall of the Centre. The project was supported by Grant Cockerill from The Wyndham Street Centre, and Katja Stiller, our Therapeutic Art Facilitator, who also created a short film of the project.
The aim of this project was to reflect on the outside what is happening inside the centre. Participants chose the theme of fruit and vegetables because their food bank and community
'New Leaf' Animation
This animation was made by participants in our New Leaf project which was which focussed on increasing connection for participants with the natural environment. The project was funded by The Arts Council of Wales
Our Hope4Change Music Project
The music group, facilitated by Mike Fulthorpe from Breathe Creative started in August 2023. The idea of the sessions was to simply create a warm therapeutic space for people to be able to share their thoughts and feelings safely in a supportive environment. Music would always be central, a tool to allow collaborative communication, build connections and to provide an alternative way to express emotions rather than simply talking.
The sessions have developed and have brought people together, creating friendships and musical bonds. We wrote our own song and experienced going into a recording studio alongside shooting a video with our videographer/editor, Katja Stiller. Opportunities later arose to do performances, and the group members have seemed to revel in the feeling of being in a band rehearsing for gigs.
Our first gig, with a totally different line-up (except for Max who’s been with us from the very beginning) played in the 96 bar in Barry, the CVMHT football awards ceremony. It was well supported and was a nerve wracking but very successful first ever concert. Photos and articles about the group emerged in 3 local newspapers including the South Wales Echo and the group received really positive feedback from friends, family, staff and journalists.
After a break, the music group re-started with some new members who very quickly gelled with each other. This brought a new dynamic and inspired new musical influences and talents. There has been some lovely feedback from group members about how important the sessions are to them. Once again we have explored discussion, songwriting, improvising, jamming songs and again new opportunities have emerged. Max has performed at the Cardiff City stadium and through meeting somebody at that event has since recorded his own songs and is gaining studio experience. He has also started working as a volunteer doing music with patients at Barry hospital where he is already a much loved member of the group.
Rhys has started guitar lessons and also started a computer/media course with new doors opening up as his confidence grows. The other participants are consistently attending the group every week, bringing their incredible musical talents and warm personalities to boost the positive energy of the group.
The gig opportunities at Jenner Park and at SWALEC stadium are something that is very new and nerve wracking for the group. However, we are also really excited at the opportunity and for the exposure the band will receive. We hope that people enjoy the performances of “Hope4change” and appreciate how far the members have all come in their personal journeys to reach this point.
Future funding and a long term approach is fundamental in projects such as this. It is proven that continued support can lead to new opportunities for members further down the road. The hope is for the cycle of support to continue, helping as many people as possible along the way. For this to happen, funding is paramount.
Project supported by Vale of Glamorgan Mental Health Support Team with funding from Vale of Glamorgan Council, The Arts Council of Wales and The National Lottery Community Fund.
Line of Thoughts
‘Lines of Thoughts’ is partnership a project working with Ty Canna Mental Health Out Reach Service in Cardiff and Breathe Creative, delivered by Katja Stiller, Elliot Bryn Hubbard, Jacob Meadowcroft and Michael Fulthorpe.
Weekly sessions brought participants together in a calm, safe environment. The project provided 9 participants (aged 18-24) the opportunity to break their social isolation, to process their experiences and emotions, to express themselves creatively, to learn new skills and to create short films.
Digging Deeper
Thanks to a grant from Community Foundation Wales via the Health & Social Care Innovation Fund, we have been facilitating a creative wellbeing journey through the seasons over the last year for our vulnerable participants, by connecting with nature, making art from nature and bringing people together to grow and relax in a natural outdoors environment.
Based at the Growing Green allotments in Cardiff city, we have been creating a safe, creative and gentle environment for participants who have experienced challenging life issues, and who are often struggling with mental and/or physical health problems.
In our sessions, people have made new friends, have connected with nature, have relaxed, been physical, learnt new skills, helped to grow the gardens and allotments, have created beautiful artwork, enjoyed the fresh air and have had fun.
This film was made by Jacob Meadowcroft, one of our participant trainees who has been mentored by Katja Stiller.
Feedback from participants:
“ I don’t mind what I do, I give everything a go, I just enjoy being here“
“ I really enjoy the mindfulness, I started doing it during the week”
“Just being here and looking at nature helps me to relax …”
Feedback from Health Board staff:
“ The patients benefited greatly from coming here, those that have attended are encouraging others to join the following week.”
This project has also been supported by funding from the Arts Council of Wales and The Community Lottery Fund.
#ChangingLivesTogether