Letting creativity soar:
“I’ve learned a lot about different types of art. There are things I wouldn’t have heard of before, but then I try them and discover I love them.”

When a picture says a thousand words:
“People with long term conditions can often be dismissed or overlooked. But at Helium, nobody sees the disability. They are interested in the person, and helping them become a better artist.”

Crafting with Confidence:
“It made me feel included. Knowing that other people have similar health issues, and that I wasn’t alone.”

Creating possibilities:
“Every workshop was good. The coordinator was always coming with new ideas I’d never thought of before. I would go every chance I could. Instead of just sticking to sketching and painting, it opened me up to different styles. Anything that was 3D and involved making something with your hands was great.”

Finding Freedom Through Art:
Isolation and anxiety have been the biggest struggles in recent years for Ruth, who has spina bifida hydrocephalus and scoliosis, and is paralysed from the waist down…

Creating moments of calm:
“Not everybody is going through the same things as me,” Barbara explains. “But they’re all going through something.”

No-one can remember when Helium became an excuse for a day out, but they’re glad it did. For sisters Ellie and Leah, the creative arts workshops and camps were a great way to squeeze in a few extra hours with their new best friend, Amelia. For their mums, Helium was a chance to catch-up, take a breath, and just ‘be’…