Funding secured for poetry therapy sessions at Barnsley Hospice

The Trust is pleased to announce that we have secured funding for a programme of poetry therapy sessions for people with life-limiting illnesses.

The programme will allow patients at Barnsley Hospice to share their stories through poetry workshops run by registered psychotherapist, Diane Hinchliffe.

Diane has over 20 years’ experience using creative approaches to support individual mental health and wellbeing. She will run the workshops over 15 weeks, starting in January.

An anthology of poems and stories will be gathered throughout the programme to ensure a legacy for those involved. This will be presented at a celebration event in October 2018 where patients will share their experiences.

The initiative will also support the wellbeing of staff working in palliative care services at Barnsley Hospice, Barnsley Hospital and South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SWYPFT). Training and educational workshops for staff will help provide creative approaches to understanding their own thoughts about dying, and how they can better support patients in their care.

Margot Walker, chair of trustees at Barnsley Museums & Heritage Trust, said: “We are extremely pleased to have secured funding for this project for patients at Barnsley Hospice and would like to thank all our community partners who made this possible.

“Enabling individuals to have a voice in a place which is respectful, sympathetic and where individuals are listened to, is so important to the Trust. Our aim is to provide cultural activities which bring communities together and provide benefits for local people, both improving wellbeing and providing educational opportunities.”

Dave Watson, project development coordinator at Creative Minds, a charity which part-funded the programme, said: “We are delighted to support this worthwhile programme which will create not only a lasting legacy for loved ones – recognising that families and carers matter – but that will also enable participants to find a sense of purpose and give them a voice through poetry.”

Jan Walker, patient services director at Barnsley Hospice, said: “We are really looking forward to learning from Diane during the course of the programme and offering poetry therapy as a way of helping patients to cope with their psychological and emotional wellbeing.

“The sessions will not only contribute to a better quality of life for hospice users, but will also train staff to provide the best possible care whilst also considering their own thoughts and feelings about dying.”

Barnsley Museums and Heritage Trust is a fundraising charity that brings communities together through cultural activities to benefit the people of Barnsley and South Yorkshire.

We secured £5,000 in funding from a number of community organisations in Barnsley to deliver the project. These include Creative Minds – a charity hosted by South West Yorkshire NHS Foundation Trust; Barnsley End of Life Care monies (Barnsley Hospital, SWYPFT and Barnsley Hospice); grant making organisation, The Shaw Lands Trust; and Hear My Voice, a literary programme encouraging people to express themselves using the written and spoken word, funded by Barnsley TUC Training Ltd through Barnsley Museums.

For more information about Barnsley Museums & Heritage Trust, or to make a donation, visit: https://bmht.org/