To mark the significant milestone of Carers of East Lothian turning 30 this year, we organised a range of events and activities celebrating our 30th anniversary. Our regular support groups opened their doors to welcome new people to special events, including archery sessions, afternoon teas, day trips, art workshops and an interesting session with a consultant psychiatrist.
Our art group Caring Spaces that runs monthly in collaboration with Art in Healthcare created a collaborative piece of art using the theme of ‘pearl’. The pearl was chosen because it is the traditional gift for a 30th anniversary. A member of our Carers Panel suggested that we use the pearl as a theme throughout the year, and we loved the idea. Pearls, much like unpaid carers, are incredibly valuable but are often hidden from view. The group thought about how a pearl forms in layers around a piece of grit and used this as a starting point to explore the layers that form around the challenges of caring.
We were delighted to showcase this piece of art at the Carers of East Lothian Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 28th October this year. We are also very pleased to share some images of the making process and the final piece for you all to enjoy.
If you are a carer who is interested in this group, please contact Gemma on gemma@coel.org.uk to discuss this in more detail. Please see details of the group on the poster below.