This week I was asked to join the Core Creative Enterprise.  Core Creative is a small but talented and highly dedicated group of individuals championing art initiatives for communities often marginalized by mainstream society.

Working in partnership with numerous stakeholders, public services and key individuals from the arts community, Core Creative aims to optimise opportunities available for those coming from disadvantaged backgrounds or suffering from mental illness through executing workshops that aid social inclusion, help develop skills and increase self-esteem.The UK’s Care Quality Commission, the independent health & social care regulator, produced its first report regarding patient mentoring and the provision of care under the Mental Health Act. Mental Health Act commissioners working for the organisation have discovered the care for service users falls short of satisfactory.

Due to various reasons such as budget constraints, staff did not have the time to engage and support patients in doing creative or therapeutic activities that could help them to feel better. This has been the factor that has driven Core Creative, with the support of The Big Lottery Fund, to develop its ‘Music is My Saviour’ project.The ‘Music is My Saviour’ project has been designed for both males and females aged 16 – 25, living in the three London boroughs (Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Hounslow), they could be suffering from any form of mental distress, or are perhaps feeling socially excluded. Users of the project will be working on art which together will form their own P.R campaign to destroy negative stereotypes about mental health in the local community.For more information on Core Creative and their first initiative, the “Music is My Saviour” project please visit www.corecreative.org.uk.