spotlight Pathways to Wellbeing can continue for another three years
The Holburne
On the right path
The Holburne Museum has got funding for the Pathways to Wellbeing programme. The nationally recognised project has supported over 200 people living with mental health issues, social isolation and homelessness since 2016, and this latest funding means it can continue to develop its offering for another three years. Pathways to Wellbeing is a collaborative effort of museums, art galleries and mental health and support organisations that offer often socially excluded people the chance to explore their creativity – some for the first time ever – in a supportive and safe environment. The Holburne partners with the Bath Preservation Trust, the American Museum & Gardens and The Edge at the University of Bath to deliver the inspiring scheme. “I am absolutely delighted that the National Lottery Community Fund and St Johns Foundation have recognised the extraordinary importance of our Pathways to Wellbeing project and enabled us to continue and expand our work for a further three years,” says Chris Stephens, director at The Holburne. “The Holburne is committed to changing lives through art and we know from experience that this programme has a positive life-changing impact on its participants and, what’s more, that their close engagement with the Holburne has a huge impact on the museum and its other visitors.” For more: www.holburne.org
Graham Padfield (founder), Hugh Padfield (MD and current owner) and The Duchess of Cornwall
Bath Spa University
Modern storytellers
A group of writers have been awarded £15,000 to bring smartphone creative writing projects to life. The grant money was awarded to four recipients by Paper Nations, a project based at Bath Spa University’s TRACE Centre that aims to make creative writing inclusive to everybody. The first recipient, multi-prizewinning author Lucy Christopher will team up with technologist Rajiv Edward to create The Fog, a project that’ll imagine a fictionalised city of Bath, frozen in time-stopping fog. The story’s ‘readers’ will use their phones’ geolocation to save the city and start time ticking over again. Melanie Frances, a theatre maker, games designer and director of digital at Produced Moon is using her money to create an app that allows people to see into ‘alternative dimensions’, meanwhile the final recipient, Lucy Telling, playwright and director, will use her fund to develop interactive e-tickets, where every ticket comes with its own story for the reader to discover. For more: www.papernations.org
14 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
Use your phone for something other than scrolling Instagram
HRH The Duchess of Cornwall
Royal approval
Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cornwall met the cheese makers at Bath Soft Cheese Company recently. The Duchess paid a visit to the dairy at Park Farm to congratulate the team on their recent success at the International Cheese Awards, as well as take a tour of the café and viewing facilities specially built for the public to watch the cheese making happen in real time – she was even treated to a cheese tasting. The Duchess’ visit was quite literally the jewel in the crown of a fantastic year for the Bath Soft Cheese Company, whose Wyfe of Bath cheese was named Supreme Champion at the Nantwich International Cheese Awards and, along with Bath Cheese, two of the best 84 cheeses in the world at the World Cheese Awards. They even got a nod from the Artisan Cheese Awards too, where Bath Soft Cheese was named Supreme champion. “It was a real treat to have The Duchess of Cornwall visit us,” says Hugh Padfield, fourth generation owner, farmer and cheese maker at Bath Soft Cheese Company. “It’s been a fantastic year for our business and our cheeses. The Duchess charmed us all with her interest in cheese making, farming and knowledge of rural business. The recognition means a huge amount to the team.” For more: www.parkfarm.co.uk