Students bring creativity and companionship to Living Well

Students from Sevenoaks School are bringing creativity and companionship to Hospice in the Weald as part of a unique volunteering project to support those living with a life-limiting illness.

Every week, a group of Year 10 – 13 students from the school spend time with people attending the Hospice’s Living Well art sessions designed to spark creativity and meaningful connections.

Creativity is for everyone

Together, they create a range of ceramic artworks, many inspired by nature. Rolled leaves collected from the Hospice’s gardens are frequently used to imprint onto clay, producing beautifully textured dishes and other handmade pieces.

Niki, a regular Living Well attendee who has a condition that significantly limits her mobility, including the use of her hands, said: “My time at Hospice in the Weald has shown me that Living Well is not about what you can no longer do, but about discovering what is still possible. Even with my physical limitations, I have found new ways to express myself.

“They make it possible for me to keep creating.” – Niki

“One of the highlights are the ceramics sessions. The teacher and her students play such an important role in helping me continue to be creative. They don’t focus on what I can’t do; instead, they gently adapt, support, and encourage me to explore what I can do. Whether it’s shaping clay in a different way or simply taking things a little slower, they make it possible for me to keep creating.

“I really enjoy chatting with the students. Our conversations are just as meaningful as the art itself. I am able to bring items in from home and, with support from the volunteers, I am able to achieve my vision.”

The power of art and community

For 27-year-old Louisa, who has a rare condition which means she is liable to seizures and difficulties with her speech, it’s an opportunity to try new activities and socialise.

She said: “I look forward to Thursday afternoons. I enjoy the painting, listening and chatting to everyone. I feel comfortable here.”

Andrew Wang, who is among the Sevenoaks School students who regularly take part, said: “Volunteering at the hospice showed me that art is not confined to galleries, but lives in every shared moment. Through collaborating with the hospice patients, it has made me see the power of creativity, and understand how lives can be changed significantly through creative flair.”

“Art is not confined to galleries.” – Andrew

Emma Delpech, Art Teacher at Sevenoaks School, said: “It is a much-loved part of the week for all involved. There are always fantastic levels of creativity and productivity, as well as plenty of laughter.”

Julie Annis, the Hospice’s Creative Arts Co-Ordinator, said: “The sessions offer meaningful benefits for both those who attend and the students. Some people need a little extra support to bring their creative ideas to life. There are no barriers; working with clay allows everyone to express themselves in calming way, building confidence and a sense of achievement.

student laughing with patient in lilac jumper

Seeing relationships grow

“Over time our attendees and students naturally begin to connect – it’s wonderful to see their relationships grow. It’s an opportunity for the students to see the person, not a ‘patient’. The sessions are filled with laughter, easy conversation, and relaxed atmosphere, making it enjoyable as well as therapeutic for everyone involved.”

Alongside individual artworks, the group is also working on a special collaborative piece, which they plan to auction to mark the project’s 10^th anniversary and to help raise vital funds for the Hospice’s ongoing services.

Emma added: “The new collaboration features a painting of a pond and floating on this will be ceramic flowers created by the group. Examples of this type of work already adorn the walls of Living Well. They are vibrant, beautiful, life affirming works that capture a moment in time where teenagers at school and those facing life-limiting illness work towards a shared goal to make something stunning and uplifting. It will be a real showstopping piece.”

The art session is part of a varied programme of free Living Well activities at the Hospice in Pembury, including exercises classes, boccia, singing groups, and reflexology. The programme continues from its new temporary location of the lower ground floor at the Hospice while transformative refurbishment work progresses to create a new in-patient ward and Living Well area.