For the past 6 years, following the retirement of a Technician, a woodwork room at Ravenswood has been left empty.
At the request of the service users, the Occupational Therapy department started a project to revamp the room. There was a unanimous decision to create a fun room, with activities to build on social relationships and experience enjoyment.
Ravenswood House is a medium secure unit providing assessment, care and treatment for adults with serious mental illness.
Many of the service users don’t have access to the community and aside from treatment sessions or visiting the canteen, they often spend most of their time on ward areas.
In 2020, work started on clearing the room, laying a floor and brightening the walls and cabinets with fresh paint.
The Occupational Therapy staff and groups on the wards created artwork which is now displayed in an interactive rotating art gallery. Templates were drawn round frames, to encourage service users to engage in painting the murals themselves.
The team requested funding from Brighterway for arcade games and a table tennis table to fill ‘active and arcade corner.’
“Without the funding the project would not have been as successful.” Commented Becky Harding, Occupational Therapy Team Manager. “We are really grateful for the chance to make difference to our service users and improve their quality of life.
It’s been a long road with many hurdles, including a pandemic to throw a spanner in the works.
But with the hard work of our team and the Estates department, we are now ready to welcome the service users to the new space and add their high scores on PacMan!”
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