Local citizens who access Mental Health Support via Denbighshire County Council and Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board have recently taken part in a project to transform their local Community Mental Health building in Denbigh, Tim Dyffryn Clwyd.
The idea stemmed from citizens sharing feedback with staff, with the takeaway being that the building was too formal and clinical, which hindered the way that they engaged with the service.
Both services wanted to ensure that citizens felt that their opinions were heard and valued, and felt that it would be beneficial for citizens to take on some ownership of the space they use.
During ‘Well-being through Art’ sessions, funded by the Welsh Government’s Connected Communities Loneliness and Social Isolation grant, citizens developed pieces of art to decorate the rooms, using a variety of art mediums including inks, cynotypes and even making weaved plant pots.
Two rooms have had feature walls painted in warmer, calming colours and the citizens were also given the opportunity to rename some of the consultation rooms in the building to ensure they fit with the nature theme of the project. The rooms are now named after three local mountains, Moel Ffamau, Moel Arthur and Foel Fenlli.
Funding has also been secured to purchase new furniture for the rooms, which will help modernise these spaces.
The process of taking part in this project has enabled citizens to implement the 5 ways of Well-being, which helps them to maintain mental wellness by Connecting with others, To Give, To Take notice, Be active and to Learn something new. It is hoped that it will help to change citizen’s perception of the building and reconnect them with the service in a more positive way.
Ann Lloyd, Head of Adult Social Care & Homelessness Service said:
“The citizen-led transformation of Tim Dyffryn Clwyd is truly inspiring, showcasing the remarkable impact of empowering individuals to help shape the local services they use. This project is yet another wonderful example of engagement and collaboration bringing about positive change in the community.”