1 August 2025
Alex Vann and Gary O’Dowd.
Charity-funded art workshops have “lifted the spirits of patients” at West Park Hospital in Wolverhampton.
Real Arts Workshops (RAW) teamed up with Your RWTC, the registered charity of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, and DDC Engineering Limited, to run weekly art and BSL (British Sign Language) workshops on the Neuro Rehabilitation Unit (NRU) for eight weeks.
RAW, based in Wolverhampton, is led by graphic designer, artist and musician Alex Vann and profoundly deaf crafter and BSL tutor Gary O’Dowd.
Alex said they covered a wide variety of topics during sessions, including the tessellations of MC Escher, Claude Monet’s waterlilies paintings, and the Blue Willow Pattern plate design as well as delivering some British Sign Language tuition.
He said: “We are very grateful to receive financial support to be able to carry on delivering sessions at NRU at West Park Hospital, which initially started as part of the ‘Care, Create, Conserve’ National Lottery Heritage Fund project in 2024.
“Although the emphasis is always on participation, we have been amazed by the level of skill in the group, and the results speak for themselves.
“We start each session by explaining what we will be doing, which may include showing examples of famous artists’ work. Participants then do a practical activity, drawing, painting or something else that engages them – with support from us and NRU staff for those that need it.
“At the same time as being creative, people are also engaging in an important social activity which they might not otherwise experience. There is always a lot of support, fun and compassion in the room with patients with similar brain injuries sharing their experiences and offering each other support, advice and signposting.”
The patients were able to make detailed pencil sketches of Dudley Castle, acrylic paintings on canvases based on Monet’s ‘Bridge Over a Pond of Waterlilies’, and designs on paper plates based on the famous Spode Blue Willow Pattern plate design – using only blue ink.
In other sessions, they made paintings of autumn trees using a relief masking tape technique and mindful ‘scribble’ drawings using everyday Biro pens.
Gary said: “We also delivered some basic sign language tuition. I’m profoundly Deaf and BSL is my first language. Learning a new language has numerous important benefits to all as it uses the hands, face and body language all at the same time.
“The patients we worked with took part in this activity with enthusiasm, again with support where needed, and it was fantastic to be greeted in sign language every time we visited the group. It was a pleasure to come into the hospital and meet staff and patients and we would love to come again.”
Amie Rogers, Fundraising and Lead Digital Engagement Officer for Your RWTC, said: “We visited the last workshop, and it was fantastic to hear the amazing feedback from patients.
“One patient said the workshops lifted their mood and got them out with others who understood their disability.
“Others said, ‘These sessions make me more relaxed and helped my anxiety. I love attending the classes as it has massively improved my skills and I look forward to coming’ and ‘Sessions like this are very important for rehabilitation post brain injury’.
Lisa Dummelow, Chief Executive of DDC Engineering Solutions Limited, said: “‘It has been our absolute delight to support this wonderful initiative.
“The benefits and positive impact that the patients experience are truly heartwarming. All credit to Real Arts Workshop and West Park Hospital for making this happen.”