2024 is drawing to a close and, as ever, we thought we would take a look back at all of our programmes, events and achievements from the last year. 2024 has been our BIGGEST year to date, doubling our therapeutic arts workshops.
We have run 118 therapeutic arts workshops with over 1,000 individual engagements.
We have worked with 21 partners and run 13 programmes running at an average of 8 weeks per programme. We have trained 5 new Practitioners and trained two Programme Coordinators to lead our sessions too. We couldn't be prouder of all we have achieved as a small organisation with partners new and old- so here is our year in review for 2024!
At the start of the year, we had the privilege of working with Young Roots’ APOW (Amazing People of the World) programme, delivering a vibrant and creative 8-week programme for a group of inspiring 16–18-year-olds, most of whom are living here in the UK as unaccompanied minors. Through movement and dance, the young people brought their unique cultural backgrounds into collaborative performances and group creations, resulting in a powerful celebration of diversity and self-expression.
Each session was designed around a theme, incorporating objects, words, drama and team-building activities. The workshops focused on fostering teamwork and communication, encouraging participants to share words and phrases from their languages and explore nonverbal ways of connecting through the arts.
This journey was an amazing opportunity to create meaningful connections and celebrate the richness of different cultures and languages. We’re delighted to have been part of this experience and are excited to continue collaborating with APOW in the new year. Here is what the young people had to say about the programme:
‘They are wonderful people, friendly and helpful’
‘They are amazing, friendly and helpful. When we come here and we meet (people), play games and Talitha makes our day! These 3 (Talitha team) are the best’
This year, through our generous funding from City Bridge, we were able to begin a pilot project of running monthly sessions at one of our long standing care home partners, Dalemead Care Home. We visited once a month to run therapeutic arts sessions as well as running two 6 week programmes in both summer and winter. It has been wonderful to witness the growth of engagement for the residents and provide a consistent presence for them in the home. Sarah, the Activities Organiser, shared her thoughts on the benefits of more regular sessions:
“I am so very grateful for all the hard work everyone at Talitha Arts puts in to make your creative workshops such a huge success at Dalemead. As always, all the practitioners have been amazing, showing us such kindness, empathy, enthusiasm and bringing us joy! We have been so lucky to have the monthly sessions as well as the two blocks of six sessions. It has meant that Talitha Arts is at the very heart of our activities programme. I love that the residents know it's never long to wait until they get their next opportunity for fun with you all. It provides such wonderful continuity, meaning that everyone is familiar with the practitioners, each other and the format.” (Sarah Withey, Activities Organiser)
Over 2024 we have been running weekly sessions at Baytree Centre during term time as part of the after school programme of opportunities Baytree offers to the local community. Baytree Centre is a social inclusion charity who provide educational and holistic support for young people and families in the local Brixton community. We have been working with a group of 10-12 year olds, throughout the entire year, and have had a 50% return rate for group members each term. This has meant we have been working with some of the girls for the whole of the year. We are proud to have been able to provide a really consistent presence for the girls who join each week and witness the progression of their confidence, peer connections and their ability to express themselves through the activities and arts. Baytree has been a wonderful support for the work and we look forward to continuing to grow our partnership. Here is what Valeria, The Youth Programmes Manager, says about the Talitha Arts sessions:
“Creativity through Arts has been one of the most beneficial clubs our girls have attended. The facilitators provide a space where girls not only learn new things but increase their self-esteem and confidence. Through the different activities our girls also develop different skills like reading, writing, speaking, creating, teamwork, among many others. And they develop all these skills by playing, doing crafts and having fun which is something very unique from these workshops. The way a girl can benefit from this club is huge as it involves improving academic and wellbeing skills within the same activity. I have also seen how the girls have made new friends and they no longer feel lonely especially when they are new to the Centre.
Thank you Talitha Arts for having such a great impact on our girls!
I really hope you can come back and keep working with us!"
Valeria Bonilla (Youth Programmes Manager)
Footsteps for Freedom
In March of this year we hosted our Footsteps for Freedom Fundraiser Walk. A big group of Talitha staff, trustees and supporters walked 30 km along the Thames path to raise essential funds for our therapeutic arts programmes and workshops. The day was a great success! The walk took us 6 hours to complete and we were able to raise an incredible £18k for Talitha!! We were so proud of everyone that took part, on the day in London, but also those who walked in their own areas too in Birmingham, Surrey and Berkhamstead.
To read about the walk in full, read more here:
As Spring came around we began our annual practitioner training at Talitha. We recruited and trained 5 new Talitha practitioners over the month of May and led them on our shadowing programme at Dalemead Care Home. The training course covered trauma informed learning, building safe spaces and learning about the Talitha Approach. We combined theory and practical learning for our practitioners to get a sense of the work from both angles. The shadowing programme provided them an opportunity to work with participants on the ground and get familiar and comfortable with the Talitha structure and approach. Our new practitioners have since been out on our programmes in a variety of settings, each bringing their own creative and therapeutic flair to the work provided at Talitha. We are so pleased to have them on the team and part of the Talitha community. Increasing our practitioner base each year since Covid has meant we have been able to say yes to more and more opportunities and provide transformational workshops for more vulnerable individuals and groups each year. We are so grateful for our practitioners- the work wouldn't be possible without them!
Arise! Poetry Evening
Over the summer Talitha ran a poetry event to fundraise for our therapeutic arts work. The event was named ‘Arise’, linking to the origins of the meaning behind Talitha- meaning ‘Little girl arise’ and was an evening of poetry aimed to empower. The evening was a great success seeing us sell 130 tickets and raise £3k! We are so grateful for our wonderful readers for bringing and writing such beautiful and empowering poetry for the evening and to our team of volunteers, who made the night possible. Big shout out to our Trustee, Richard Leaf, for organising the event and hosting the evening on behalf of Talitha. Here is a poem read during the evening titled Spring, that was written within a Talitha workshop by a group of participants:
Keep your eyes peeled for similar events in 2025 or sign up to our newsletter to be the first to know Contact | Talitha Arts
Change Grow Live - a Talitha Arts exhibition at the William Morris Gallery!
Over the latter summer months Talitha Arts partnered with Change, Grow, Live. CGL is a national health and social care charity who support individuals who are facing challenges including drugs and alcohol, housing, justice, health and wellbeing. Talitha embarked on a 12 week project working with the Waltham Forest branch to bring a programme of workshops for their clients to help build structure, community and a safe space for self expression to the lives of those they support. Our highly experienced practitioner team worked with 15 participants on a creative and holistic journey to support their recovery within the CGL service. The 12 week project culminated with an exhibition at the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow, showcasing the amazing work of the participants. The exhibition was a celebration of the process of creativity and its power to support mental well being. The launch event saw the participants and their families, funders for CGL, members of the Talitha community and staff coming together to share in the work of the programme. It was a brilliant exhibition and way to celebrate the transformative power of the arts in recovery. A 2024 partnership and project we are extremely proud of!
‘You don’t realise at first how much it’s helping, it’s subtle but it really works. I feel more confident. Art can help you change perspective. I have felt that and my mind has been changed, thank you for that.’- CGL Participant
‘Thank you for being part of my journey’- CGL Participant
To read more about the CGL programme, click here:
Our work with Women-
As the Autumn months rolled in, alongside our continued work with organisations such as Baytree Centre and Young Roots, we began our work with our partners who support women in crisis and women's mental health. We ran a range of programmes and sessions with our long standing partners such as the Medaille Trust, Ella’s and the Maya Centre as well as working with newer partners such as Solace Women’s Aid and St.Luke's Community Hub. The work has been meaningful for all involved. The women we have worked with this year have brought so much of themselves to the work and thrown themselves into the Talitha sessions and experience. We will let their words speak for themselves:
“I have found a friend in myself again”
“These sessions have shown me I need to do more to support myself”
“I feel supported by the group, but also supported by myself now”
Care Home Festive Project-
Over the festive period we have conducted an 8 week project working in four of our partner Care Homes delivering our therapeutic arts programmes. A team of 5 practitioners have been working over London within the homes each week bringing joy and festive cheer through singing, movement, music and craft. The sessions have been such a wonderful experience and have seen us work with 50 residents across the homes using art as a means for connection, nostalgia and creative expression. It has been a great project for Talitha and we are so pleased to have been able to expand our work in care settings thanks to City Bridge's 5 year funding.
“It makes a huge difference to my day”- Dalemead Resident
“I am feeling so joyful and that’s down to you all”- Nightingale Resident
We feel so grateful to all our partners, practitioners, volunteers, supporters and YOU. Without our regular supporters and givers the work we do at Talitha would not be possible. Thank you for continuing to support our work and following our journey. We already have so many programmes and workshops booked in for 2025 and are ready to hit the ground running in January. So watch this space!
In the meantime, enjoy what's left of 2024 and, wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and festive season.
Love & Light,
The Talitha Team
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