WINCHCOMBE CREATIVE CARERS

Creative Carers is a new pilot project bringing together unpaid carers for a welcome creative break at Isbourne Arts in Winchcombe.  

The pilot course of 7 sessions is designed to: 

• Enable carers to take time for themselves 
• Support social connection with others who share similar experiences 
• Help build confidence through gaining new skills  
• Ease frustration and help carers feel ‘heard’  

Anyone aged 18+ in or around the town who provides regular, unpaid support to a loved one is invited to find some welcome distraction from daily challenges through having a go at a range of creative arts activities.  

Sessions will run from 12:45 – 2:45pm on Wednesdays from 24 June to 5 August 2026.  

Each participant will also benefit from one-to-one chats with their Artist Facilitator, Emma who also has experience as an unpaid carer. She will support them to think about how they can stay creative, and stay well after the sessions have finished. Carers involved will also have access to resources, such as video tutorials and worksheets to help them stay creative at home. 

New members are being invited to join this small, friendly and non-judgemental group and are encouraged to get in touch to discuss any worries about attending. The partners co-designing the offer are committed to working with participants to bring down barriers wherever possible. For example, there is a small budget to support reasonable transport costs where needed; if required, arts activities can also be provided for those who are being cared for. 

Why is this group important? 

Carers UK’s State of Caring survey 2023 found that a widespread lack of support and recognition from health and care services was having a negative impact on the mental health of unpaid carers, and cost of living increases are compounding the challenge: 

• More than a quarter of unpaid carers have bad or very bad mental health. 82% of those individuals have feelings of hopelessness and 71% regularly feel tearful.  
• More than three quarters of all carers feel stressed or anxious, half feel depressed, and half feel lonely.   

Arts and ‘Creative Health’ activities have been proven to have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of participants.  

It has given me confidence, I have made new friends that I feel I can talk openly with, it has given me purpose and made me make time for myself.

Former Artlift course participant

Who’s behind the project? 

The group has been co-designed and is being piloted by partners: 

• Artlift™, a nationally-renowned charity that has been providing socially prescribed ‘Arts on Prescription’ services for almost 20 years.  
• Gloucestershire Carers Hub, who benefit unpaid carers throughout the county through information, supporting carers’ activities, Carers’ cafés, a buddy scheme and carers’ emergency scheme 
• Isbourne Arts, a newly established performance, events and community hub serving the rural community in and around Winchcombe, and 
• Cheltenham Periphery Primary Care Network, a collaboration of five GP surgeries including Bishops Cleeve surgeries and Winchcombe Medical Practice.  

How to find out more and secure a place 

Participants can be referred by a health or voluntary sector professional, or they can put themselves forward just by filling in a simple form or calling Artlift. 

Thanks to funding from Gloucestershire County Council’s Thriving Communities fund, there is no cost to attend, and all arts materials will be provided.  

If you’d like to find out more or to talk to us about a potential referral, contact 01452 222 726 / office@artlift.org or artlift.referrals@nhs.net