Orb’s door is now open wider to people with learning disabilities.

‘The arts are and should be firmly recognised as being integral to health, health care provision and healthcare environments.’

Dept of Health, 2007

Did you know that Orb Enterprise is now an Approved Provider for North Yorkshire County Council’s Health and Adult Services?

This means that people with personalised budgets can now use them to join us at Orb.

Why is this important?

Well, the link between the arts and mental well-being has long been known (and celebrated at Orb!)

It’s now widely recognised that  people with learning disabilities also gain so much enhancement in their daily living from getting involved in creative arts.

And the good news is that, thanks to our new status as an Approved Provider, we can now offer Orb’s fantastic range of art, music and IT support to more people with learning disabilities.

Just remind yourself of all that  Orb has to offer:

Does music move you?

At the heart of Orb, Studio Space offers a rehearsal room and state of the art recording studio.

This is where where our members can  express the music that lies within them, with the support of our friendly and talented team.

Take Liam, who has a learning disability.

He’s been coming in for a couple of weeks now and learning how to record the songs he loves with help from Josh, our Studio Manager.

‘I really enjoy working with Liam,’  says Josh.  ‘He enjoys it immensely.  He knows all the lyrics to the songs he loves – Westlife are a particular favourite. I’m encouraging him to write his own songs, and he’s keen to learn how to use the software.’

Music touches so many aspects of our learning: imagination, intellect,  senses, emotions.

At Orb we value all of these,  and blend them with practical and technical backup.

We build confidence by working with people’s individual interests and aspirations – and then, using their talents to take part in one of Orb’s many musical events can give such a boost to confidence and social inclusion.

Art Space

Visual arts are also at the centre of Orb’s passionate commitment to creative expression.  With a dedicated Art Space, full range of materials and the sensitive and inspiring support of the Orb team, everyone can explore their inner visions.

Don’t take our word for it – take a look at our gallery!

And right now, Orb is looking at ways of linking up with other organisations supporting people with learning disabilities.

Talk to Leon about arranging specially targeted art classes with art tutor Sharon Carrick

Orbit

Whether you want help setting up a blog, using a digital camera or just getting on line, you’ll find helpful and friendly support in the Orbit computer suite.

And don’t forget to take a Springtime look at the garden . . .

. . . and see how quickly it’s being transformed.  As Mick, our Orb gardener says: ‘It simply raises your heart!’ –

Working in the natural world (or even just sitting and admiring) works wonders for our general well being in body mind and spirit .

There’s so much in such a small space!

We are delighted here at Orb, that we can now extend our passionate commitment to creativity to support  more people through their personalised budgets.

Sowing the seeds of mental wellbeing

Ignore the cold and the wet – Spring really has Sprung.  Even as we shiver, we are surrounded with fresh green growth and dazzled with yellow and white, orange and blue wherever we look.

Time, then,  to take a fresh look at the Orb garden, and think again about the impact that the natural world can have on our mental well  being.

‘It started with a packet of seeds.’

Mick Robinson is talking about the difference Orb Community Enterprise has made to his life.

Mick used to run a computer department.  It was a high pressure job and, as with so many jobs, the pressure kept growing.

‘I had a breakdown and I attempted suicide.  After leaving hospital I was out walking one day when, on impulse, I decided to buy a packet of seeds.  To my surprise they grew – so I got some more.  After a while I was encouraged to take a gardening course. My love of plants grew but I wasn’t sure where it could take me.  Then I was introduced to Orb.’

At first sight, even to those of us who love it, Orb – a concrete-ex-garage-at-the-end-of-the-alley-past-the-theatre – belies its nature as a hotbed of creativity. So let’s just remind ourselves that this  Tardis-like space manages to encapsulate an art studio, recording studio, rehearsal room, IT suite (oh – and an amazing garden, thanks largely to Mick and his team of volunteers.)

Let’s also remind ourselves that mental ill-health does great damage to our society.  5% of people in the Harrogate District accessed NHS mental health services during 2008/9.  40% of those claiming disability benefits in the same area were doing so because of mental ill-health.  So, statistically,  everyone of us reading this will be affected, either directly or indirectly.

But the focus has to be on individuals, like Mick.

Joining Orb as a service user, Mick became a volunteer, then  went on to paid work as a gardener, turning a patch of waste ground at Orb  into a flourishing haven of positive energy which, as he says, ‘simply raises your heart’.

‘I still struggle with difficult days from time to time.  But I have no doubt that it’s Orb’s bright supportive atmosphere, and the difference my work is making to the garden that keeps me out of hospital.’

Working with the natural environment, opening our hearts to natural, organic growth has such a powerful effect on everyone’s mental (and physical) wellbeing.  If you want measurable evidence of this, take a look at the Ecominds website.

Or better still, next time you’re down at Orb’s end-of the-alley, take a look at our own garden. With a mental image of how things used to look . . .

‘raise your heart’ with the transformation of new growth and colour that now surrounds you, thanks to Mick and his team.

And maybe come back next time with a pair of wellies and a spade!

Putting the work in!

Mick the Gardener

How a mobile phone made a world of difference to Orb

Elizabeth used to be a volunteer at Orb.

If you’ve been into the centre, you’ll have met her keeping Mark and Leon very up to scratch and very well-informed.

Elizabeth is no longer a volunteer at Orb.  She’s a paid member of staff, for fifteen hours a week for at least four months.

How did this come about?

Essentially,  this came about through  Vodafone’s ‘World of Difference’ programme.  Their key strapline is:  ‘Imagine spending time making a difference working for your dream charity and getting paid.’

Elizabeth Marshall, with encouragement from Mark and Leon, was only too well able to imagine this.

‘My career as a PA came to an end when the company went bankrupt and I was made redundant,’ says Elizabeth.  ‘This was at the very worst time,  just as the recession was starting to bite.  Finding a new job was looking increasingly difficult, but I knew I had to do something to keep my skills sharp and my motivation high, so I volunteered with Orb.  I have a family connection with schizophrenia, so I recognise how important Orb’s work is in supporting people at vulnerable times in their life.

It was hard work – but worth it!

Applying for funding is a major part of every charity’s work.  There were 8,000 applicants for the latest tranche of funding from Vodaphone.  Just filling in the application form took a huge amount of time, but it was done so well that Elizabeth found herself in the last 750 – then – ‘On my birthday!’ -  Elizabeth heard that she had been successful.

She was one of the last 500.

‘All 500 of us went down to Newbury racecourse for the induction day. It was a fantastic experience -  we completely overwhelmed the local train service!  Gok Wan was there.  Simon Weston, the Falklands hero, was there.  Lisa Potts, the teacher who protected  her pupils from a machete wielding attacker, was there.  Maybe the message was that doing something for other people can be heroic.’

So what difference has this made to Elizabeth?

‘It’s so good to be professionally involved with a team again. I think a lot of people in the current economic climate will recognise how demoralising job-hunting can be.  Having a paid post for the next four months is a great confidence-booster, and will also make a big difference to my CV.

And what difference does it make to Orb?

Leon explains: ‘So much of our time is taken up with complex paperwork and research, just to fulfill our statutory duties with regard to Health and Safety, Human Resources, creating policies, – you name it!  This is time which Mark and I  should be devoting to our service users and volunteers.   Having Elizabeth working for us on a voluntary basis gave us the benefit of her  professional skills, which was fantastic. Now that she’s a fully paid-up member of the team, we can plan ahead with more confidence.’

The last word goes to Elizabeth.  ‘One of the things I’ve been itching to do is to sort out Orb’s filing system.  Having this extra paid time enabled me to do this.  But – most exciting of all – I actually saw Mark filing a piece of paper correctly in the new system!  That really is a world of difference!’

To learn more about volunteering contact Leon Fijalkowski

Visit Elizabeth’s blog.

Starting Fresh for 2012

Are you aged 16 -19?

(Or 16 – 25 if you’re a care leaver or are registered disabled.)

Not currently working, or in education or training?

Do you have a creative streak that you’ve always wanted to develop?

Under the ‘Starting Fresh‘ scheme, you could have access to Orb’s great range of artistic, musical and IT facilities and, at the same time, get support to find a job or get onto a college course.

What’s your talent?

Musical?   Orb offers access to a purpose built recording and rehearsal studio, plus DJ mixing facilities.  With the friendly support of Studio Manager Josh, you can build your skills and your confidence.

Artistic? Techie? As well as a dedicated art space, Orb’s IT suite, professional sound and lighting equipment, plus digital film and video cameras give you the chance to explore wider ranges of expression. Orb’s well-established connections with local cultural events such as Feva, offer the chance to showcase your work within the community at large.

Working towards the future.

But this scheme isn’t just about having fun, or even about developing an individual’s talents.  Starting Fresh at Orb is part of a regional and national scheme which provides a background of professional support and encouragement to help young people use their skills to  find a way into employment or onto a college course.

Starting Fresh at Orb is open to 16 -19 year olds who are currently not in employment, education or training.  For those with a learning disability, the age range is extended to 25.  The aim of the project is to answer a very real community need, not only within the Harrogate District, but across North Yorkshire.  Towards the end of 2011 there were over a million young people in England on the NEET register – Not in Employment Education or Training – and 157,000 in Yorkshire and Humberside alone and these numbers are rising rapidly as the recession moves on.  At the same time, traditional sources of support into work or training, such as Connexions, are themselves suffering the restrictions of spending cuts.

Studies of the long-term effect of youth unemployment show that half of the problems of low pay and unemployment in later life (along with all of the resulting  social problems) can be traced back to lack of employment in late teens and early twenties.  By ignoring the problem we are creating a dangerous time bomb.

Starting Fresh at Orb offers young people an original and highly motivating range of skills which can help to shape their future and  re-engage them with their community.

To learn more, speak to Leon.

Orb at the Palace!

There was more welcome recognition for the work that Orb does in Knaresborough when Mark was invited to Buckingham palace last month.

The invitation came courtesy of   Attend.

Attend is a national charity which believes that volunteering has a powerful role to play in our health and social care and which works hard to find ways to make that role relevant and impactful. Naturally, having such a central mission in common, Orb is a member of the organisation, and Mark was invited to represent its Yorkshire and Humberside region at a reception  hosted by the Duke of York, patron of Attend.

He and Julian, an Orb volunteer, travelled down to take part in an ‘intimate reception’, designed to recognise the work of people involved in the direct delivery of services to the community.

‘Visiting such an iconic place was a fascinating experience,’ says Mark.

‘The reception was held in a room adjoining that famous balcony -  sadly, no-one asked me to go out and wave to the crowds.  People I speak to are always interested in the ‘inside’ detail – like the fact that the Palace has its own special blend of tea.  And you’d be surprised how many people wanted to know what the loos were like.  Unfortunately, that’s one part of the Palace that I didn’t get to see.’

‘But of course, the real significance of the visit lay in the national recognition given to the work that our great volunteers do here in Knaresborough, helping vulnerable people to become more engaged with the community through developing their creative skills.

If you would like to volunteer with Orb, why not speak to Mark or Leon and find out how you can have fun helping people?

New funding for Orb secures studio Manager post for another year.

At a time when vital funding for local charities is so much under threat, it’s heart-warming to have news of a very welcome award from a national organisation

LLoyds Tsb Foundation for England and Wales has played a big part in Orb’s success from the very beginning.  The foundation is one of the UK’s leading independent grant-making trusts.  They support smaller local charities who help disadvantaged adults to play a fuller role in their communities, and they provided part of the money that initially got Orb up and running.

The foundation focuses on the individual needs of local communities and also provides ’second stage funding’ to support organisations which are looking to innovate, to expand or improve their services. As part of this commitment they have come up trumps for Orb once again, awarding two years of funding which will help us to develop new ways to support service users.  One immediate bonus arising from this is that we can now offer a continued period of employment to Josh Box, our studio manager.

Josh joined us as a graduate from Leeds University who wanted to use his musical expertise to help others.  Originally a volunteer, his valuable work led to an offer of employment and he now plays a vital role at Orb working with vulnerable adults, teaching and helping them to make and record music.

“I’m delighted to know I can continue my work here,” says Josh.  ‘I find it so rewarding working with our clients, seeing them growing and developing as they gain confidence in their creativity.”

Josh is working towards an MA in Community Music, so his work at Orb reflects his passion for music, not only in its own right, but also in its social impact.

“I’ve seen people come to us feeling quite isolated, without any active role in their community.  Working with music, progressing both in skills and self-confidence they’re not only enriching their own lives but also gaining a sense of inclusion in society, often to the point where they feel able to return to work.”

Music is increasingly recognised as a very positive way of helping people with mental health issues.  Research recently published in the British Journal of Psychiatry has urged the NHS to offer music therapy alongside conventional treatment to people who find it difficult to express complex thoughts and feelings.

With this  funding, the Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales is helping Orb to further extend its commitment to encouraging wellbeing through creativity.

Romka: another creative piece of the Orb

Romka's mural

“… maybe people will think my mural is a bit self-centred, I don’t know … but not really, it’s about how I discovered Orb.”

We’re in Orb’s music rehearsal room admiring a wall-length painted mural of Romka peeling back the paint to reveal exposed brickwork and the Orb mirrorball logo. It’s the product of her three month stay at Orb as an artist in residence and her first, and very impressive, attempt at Banksy-inspired street art.

Romka is a third year student at the Academy of Art in Łódź, Poland who found out about Orb via web searches for art classes in Yorkshire. She was looking for a creative environment to get some experience in visual art education. When she contacted Leon and found out about our creative mental health support it seemed a perfect fit; with a psychologist in her family and her affinity for helping people.

Over the summer, Romka taught art classes every Wednesday in our art studio, first as apprentice with Sharon, then later as teacher herself:

“I wasn’t sure if people would come. But people came to my first class because they didn’t want me to be on my own!”

Romka’s warm reception probably has a lot to do with her approach to teaching:

“I give people a topic, some ideas and demonstration, if they don’t like this they can do what they want. Most important is people feel relaxed and good about themselves. The art at the end is not so important. I encourage them to be open and to express themselves.”

And it’s an approach that’s gained her “friends more than pupils”. Like Rob said about our recording studio: a friendly, supportive and open-minded outlook goes a long way when you want to bring out the best in our community of members with mental health support needs.

Romka leaves in September, but her positive experiences like the art classes and taking photos at FEVA (which were printed in the Knaresborough Post) are enough to bring her back:

“I feel like part of a big family. Like Mark said: ‘Once you start to become a piece of the Orb, you never really stop.’”

Another vote of confidence for Orb

The weather outside may be variable, but here at Orb a summer of love seems to be continuing.

You may remember that twelve months ago we were named as a ‘Mayoral Charity’ by Bill Hoult as he began his year as Mayor of Harrogate. He described Orb at the time as ‘an exciting and innovative project’.

At a ceremony last month in the Mayoral Parlour Bill presented Mark with a cheque for £2,500, raised by him primarily through a Christmas Wine and Cheese event at the Majestic Hotel and a reception at
Harrogate Theatre.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Bill for this generous award and for other support he has given us in the past. This kind of recognition is a tremendous boost to the work we are able to do helping vulnerable adults to become more involved in the cultural life of Knaresborough and promoting positive mental health in the wider community.

While we’re celebrating good news, don’t forget that local recognition is continuing with Andrew Willoughby’s very welcome choice of Orb as his Mayoral Charity throughout his coming year as Mayor of Knaresborough.

“Orb is a very worthwhile part of Knaresborough that not many people know about yet” he says. “It’s a new source of support for vulnerable people in our community, and we want to see it grow.”

Andrew demonstrated his support for Orb once again last week when he visited orblive@feva2011 three times, enjoying the drumming and sampling the food, using ingredients sourced from  the Orb garden.

Our thanks once more for these generous contributions will help to update and improve the services which we provide.

Volunteering: trading skills for experience

It’s been a while since we checked in at our recording studio, not that it’s been quiet in there (it rarely is) and our team’s ever-expanding with new talent and volunteers. And one such addition to the roster is Rob, a student reading music technology at Leeds Met University. He’s one of a group of students who helpfully give up their time and skills to support vulnerable members of the Orb community.

Rob’s a local boy from Knaresborough and found out about us on the vinspired web site. He’s studied sound for film, editing samples and recording bands but wanted to broaden his horizons:

“I’m using skills I’ve learnt at uni to help people do what they like to to. I’ve taught guitar to people and show them how to use the [recording] software. This isn’t stuff I’d normally use so it’s a new challenge and a chance to refresh my ideas.”

He’s already worked with Stevie, Pete, Gregory and (another) Steve and made new friends along the way. Rob also recalls his proudest moment yet; teaching Gregory how to record music then handing him a finished CD with his guitar-playing on.

“I like offering a familiar face. Some people are quite shy and a bit anxious, but once you understand what they want to do you can help them. Like, some people just come in and want to talk about music, or others show you what they’ve written. You have to adapt to each individual. If they’re not confident you have to be confident for them, which helps me as much as it helps them.”

And that’s something we hear a lot from our volunteers. In exchange for their time and skills we give them experience and new opportunities to learn that benefit both our members and our volunteers. Just like trading.

“It’s a chance to teach instead of being taught. I question why I do what I do, not just ‘getting on with it’ like I do at uni.”

When Rob completes his university education and steps into a future career he’ll take his experiences at Orb with him but his aspirations remain philanthropic:

“I don’t think of it [volunteering] as a way to get a job, more of a way to use what I’ve been learning. I want to work wherever my skills will be most useful for other people.”

It simply raises your heart

“It simply raises your heart.” Mick Robinson, our Orb gardener is talking about the thrill of seeing the Orb garden leaping into life after his year of hard work.  Our garden was made possible by the generous support of Mind through their Ecominds project.

“The first few months were a real struggle – it was just an abandoned mud patch, and all those weeks of snow last winter nearly put the kybosh on it. But just look at how far we’ve come! There’s so much in the garden already to put a little joy into anyone’s life. It’s just lovely to come into. Those poppies over there – they were a happy accident. They just blew in like weeds, now they’ve settled down and made that space their own. We also had some Aquilegia that self-seeded – they were glorious. I’ve collected the seed to save for next year.”

Green, green, green

“Keeping things eco-friendly is a central part of our philosophy. We recycle everything – including things that weren’t always ours to begin with. Our neighbour, the Knaresborough Bowling Club, had some wooden boarding that they didn’t need any more. It’s now doing a great job supporting our raised vegetable beds. Would anyone like an extra lettuce? They’re growing like mad.

It bit me in the bum!

“Of course, sometimes re-cycling can bite you in the bum. We found some heavy duty polythene that looked perfect for the pond we had just dug – until it split at the last minute. Now we need to find some proper butyl lining – which costs money. Still, it gives us the chance to re-think our ideas, and dig a little deeper – which will help us create a home for a wider range of wildlife.”

Talking of wildlife . . .

“Talking of wildlife, that’s just one more thing that makes this job such a joy.  We’ve surrounded our fences with a mixture of natural British hedgerow plants – birch, beech, hawthorn, wild rose – which encourages a mixture of natural British wildlife. A young female blackbird has been following me about since the spring, growing bolder every day. Bees are clustering round our borage plants. We’ve seen so many butterflies – Common (or not so common these days) British Blue, Painted Ladies, Red Admirals . . . swifts and swallows are regular visitors.  Only yesterday we watched a Red Kite circling over our patch for more than 15 minutes.  It didn’t flap its wings once – just coasted.  It was such a peaceful thing to see, right here in the middle of Knaresborough, just a few yards from Tesco’s.”

And it’s good for you – scientifically proven
Mick’s been doing a fantastic job. But he could do with some help. And he’s also hit on a real truth about working with growing stuff – it really soothes your soul! There’s increasing evidence of the positive impact of gardening on everybody’s mental health.

Why not come and lend Mick a hand, and test the benefits for yourself as you help others?

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  • Orb’s door is now open wider to people with learning disabilities.
  • Sowing the seeds of mental wellbeing
  • How a mobile phone made a world of difference to Orb
  • Starting Fresh for 2012
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  Orb Community Arts is a registered charity based in Knaresborough. We promote a positive attitude to mental health, are committed to social inclusion and work within the community of Harrogate and North Yorkshire. We offer our own music studio, art space, computer suite and give professional sound and lighting support for local community events.

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