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Be more blueberry
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The power of art and creativity in the support of adults with learning disabilities can be found in much of our work at Choice Support. One hub of creative activity is our Jubilee House service where people we support have formed as a group of artists embarking on setting-up their own social enterprise.
Jubilee House comprises of 12 self-contained flats with 11 people being supported. Kevin Garbutt, Support Worker, meets with four people and three staff every Tuesday to create art and socialise. The group found that their individual working styles, from delicate drawing to splash-on abstract expressionism, has helped to create a collective community spirit and identity. From this team ethos and a mispronunciation of Jubilee as Blueberry, the idea to ‘give your best and be more blueberry’ began.
One of the members has an interest in candle-making and introduced the group to the process, which was a great success. The team were excited and enthused about expanding their skills and creativity in this area. They are now learning how to make wax castings using clay, latex and plaster. They are also trialling a joint online project with another service in Wakefield.
Team Blueberry aims to produce a range of unique greeting cards and aromatic candles for sale and exhibition. They also hope to create different artistic projects, which they can offer to other groups in the future.
Once the team are happy with their products, they will apply for sponsorship to enable them to continue their creative journey. Kevin says: “The way ahead is exciting and a leap into the unknown, but I believe we have the skills and creativity to make Be More Blueberry something special.”
Choice Support is proud to celebrate Learning Disability Week and this year’s theme of art and creativity. We believe that around our organisation creative thinking happens daily. It can be found in all the work we do and the stories that we share. Art and creativity encourages self-expression, a sense of inclusion and many opportunities for happiness. We encourage you to share your stories of creative support throughout this Learning Disability Week and all year around.
