“ The most important thing is the friendship with all the women and girls. I feel stronger now. I have the power to lift up a car. It has been a magical journey for me coming together and living this experience. It’s really important for me to be heard and seen, it is a part of my confidence. And when I grow up I’m going to have the biggest VOICE!
AYAT - BEECH HILL PRIMARY SCHOOL
Verd de Gris Arts develops impactful and inspiring work by fostering creativity and wellbeing among women and girls, while also strengthening social connections and community cohesion. Our approach is holistic, combining artistic expression with e.g. mindfulness practices, movement, and singing to create a supportive environment where individuals can connect, learn, and grow together. By focusing on the Five Ways to Well-being (connecting with others, being active, taking notice, learning, and giving), we address both individual and collective needs, particularly during these challenging times.
Our model of open-access creative sessions and community celebration events not only empowers women and girls but also creates a ripple effect, encouraging broader social engagement and collaboration. By partnering with organisations like The National Lottery Communities Fund and the West Yorkshire Mayor’s Office, we demonstrate how creative engagement can be a powerful tool for building resilient, connected communities.
Our emphasis on exploring wellness, identity, place, and belonging is particularly relevant, as it helps participants navigate their personal and social landscapes while fostering a sense of purpose and connection. This work is a testament to the transformative power of
“Here at Verd de Gris Arts we are creating a movement - informed and led by local women and girls - supporting them to use their voice to impact on a range of issues that matter to them and their communities. Come and join us!”
SHARON MARSDEN - VERD DE GRIS ARTS
creativity and community in promoting wellbeing and social cohesion.
“This work is about creating a safe womb-space, nourishing and creative, birthing more confident, connected, stronger women. I have had opportunities to connect with women from different backgrounds, socially and culturally, ages and histories. This diversity has given me more confidence to be more empathetic and caring towards others. The world needs more of this energy.”
Zoe - ONE VOICE
“My confidence and belief has grown. I manage my anxiety, and the ‘freeze or flight’ response which crippled me before is now something I own - every day!”
Deborah - ONE VOICE
“No doctor, no counsellor has done as much for me as this course!”
Sophia - BEHIND THE MASK
Our courses are constantly evolving and adapting to meet local women’s needs. Our most recent courses include:
BEHIND THE MASK: a proven methodology working to support women with low confidence or living with a variety of issues impacting their quality of life and emotional resilience. These well-being sessions are for women from across local communities - they are inclusive and accessible.
BEGIN 2 CHANGE: this project builds on the Behind the Mask model and explores progression into further education, paid employment, and volunteering opportunities. It combines group and dedicated one-to-one (121) support, working closely with key agencies and stakeholders, including the DWP, local colleges, and employment agencies.
LOST WITHOUT A MAP: a creative project for women who may be feeling disconnected or ‘stuck’ in their lives. This course addresses a real, identified need for emotional support and connection among local women, using the therapeutic benefits of creative expression to help women find their way back to a more fulfilling and connected life.
SOUL SPACE: a project designed for a younger cohort of women who are feeling anxious or stressed – younger women who want to find a deeper connection to themselves and to other women. Re-connect, Empower, Re-wild, Breathe... and cold-water dip with Mary and her tribe!
OUR COURSES
Verd de Gris Arts has developed a transformative well-being methodology over the past 15 years, addressing critical issues such as low confidence, social anxiety, and limited aspirations among women and girls. Our approach is particularly impactful because it focuses on bridging the gap between the lived realities of marginalised women and the opportunities available to them. By acknowledging the complex emotional and environmental challenges these women face, we ensure that our programmes are not only accessible but also deeply supportive.
What sets our work apart is our commitment to sustained engagement beyond the initial courses.
Behind The Mask and Begin 2 Change serve as stepping stones to further involvement with the One Voice Collective. This collective provides women who have gained greater self-confidence with ongoing opportunities to participate in creative and social activities. These activities, codesigned with One Voice members, culminate in public performances, conferences, and advocacy work, amplifying the voices of these women and creating a lasting impact on their communities.
This methodology not only empowers women individually but also fosters a sense of community and collective action, ensuring that the benefits of their programmes extend far beyond the duration of the courses themselves.
“I’ve never been to a theatre, to a gallery in my life before. I’ve never been on stage - something I’d dreamed of doing all my life - I was shaking, but I did it, because these women gave me the strength. Together we can achieve anything, go anywhere!”
LORA - ONE VOICE
WITH ONE VOICE
One Voice is a vibrant and inspirational collective of local women from Calderdale, representing a diverse range of cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. These women have come together after completing various courses, through which they built trust and formed friendships through creative self-expression. United by their passion for the creative arts, they are dedicated to continuing their creative journey and expanding opportunities for other women in their community.
The group is committed to amplifying the voices of women from marginalised groups, addressing
their thoughts and concerns through collaborative efforts. One Voice meets weekly to talk, share, and create. They engage in creative retreats, attend cultural events across the region, and develop performance events that have garnered wide acclaim. Their work highlights the transformative power of the arts in addressing social and community issues.
At its core, One Voice is about creating momentum - a dynamic space where ideas and passions flow freely, fostering a sense of connection and empowerment among women in Calderdale.
One Voice has given ‘Us’, given me wings of freedom. I finally fled, from the miseries of my life, I started to shout "Look! I’m flying up high. Look, I can touch the clouds and sky. Look, I feel free, I feel light, no more carrying the heavy load of past upon my weak and fragile wings.”
HANA - ONE VOICE
“The most important thing I’ve got from the WE BELONG project is believe, in yourself, don’t let other people stop you from your dreams. Everyone has a power and strength, but especially your voice you can speak up!”
IMAAN - BEECH HILL PRIMARY SCHOOL
PERFORMANCE
“Really good to see women using their voices to inspire other women and young girls. An incredible masterpiece of collective hope, empowerment and inspiration. What an amazing project for women and young girls!” - AUDIENCE
MEMBER
For over 20 years, Verd de Gris Arts’ work has focused on bringing together people from many different social, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. With the women of ONE VOICE, we encourage other women and girls to come together through specially staged performance events to celebrate with each other or to work out solutions to issues that impact their lives.
Our focus on transforming local performance spaces into hubs for community dialogue and cultural creation is particularly powerful. It not only provides a platform for self-expression but also encourages collective problem-solving and the celebration of shared experiences. By prioritising inclusivity and ownership, ONE VOICE ensures that these spaces truly reflect the diversity of the community, empowering participants as both creators and audiences.
This approach aligns with broader goals of social cohesion and cultural equity, demonstrating how the arts can be a catalyst for meaningful change.
Many of the women who come through our creative courses are given a range of opportunities to work or volunteer with Verd de Gris Arts, through a sensitive and supportive mentoring process. These women are keen to draw on their lived experience and use it to help and support other women who are experiencing and living with similar issues and circumstances.
This desire to ‘give something back’ leads many of the women to become Active Citizens –taking the lead on a range of local and regional project work as a result of their involvement
with Verd de Gris Arts and the One Voice Collective. Recently, this has included speaking on the radio, making podcasts, working with and supporting local service agencies, high-profile cultural venues, and health and well-being initiatives. Many of our course participants have co-designed health conferences, taken part in regional health seminars, and written articles for national journals.
The following is a selection of some of the amazing things we have been able to support local women and girls to be involved in:
MAKING CHANGE
JOURNEY OF CHANGE PODCAST: created for and by local women and girls, this is a space where voices are heard, stories are shared, and connections are made.
WOW FESTIVAL: One Voice performed on stage at the WOW Barn Festival as part of LEEDS 2023 organised by the international Women of the World organisation.
FESTIVAL OF WOMEN: One Voice was delighted to be asked to perform at the inaugural festival for women in Halifax - making new connections and promoting their message of hope and connection across cultures.
WE BELONG: an intergenerational shared performance event created by the women of One Voice and Year 6 girls from Beech Hill Primary School.
WOMEN 24 - TALKS: a series of online talks led by and tailored to local women and girls. These talks explored critical issues impacting women here in West Yorkshire.
HEAR US!: co-designed and led by the women of One Voice, this conference brought together local women and key stakeholders to discuss critical issues around health, poverty and social cohesion affecting women and girls.
Verd de Gris Arts is part of a number of local and regional strategic initiatives around community health and community asset and capacity building in West Yorkshire. Being in this position – and having strong bonds of trust with so many local women and girls – allows us to feed women’s experiences and findings from our courses and project work into some really interesting and important research projects.
A number of the Cultures of Creative Health research team from Huddersfield University attended our HEAR US! community conference and invited eighteen women from our various
courses and arts projects to attend a consortium day at the University. Being part of this research helped to increase the women’s self-belief and self-worth: being taken seriously, with academic researchers valuing their contributions and what they had to say. This led to the women feeling empowered to take part in future events.
The women have also been involved in Daring to Be Bold: Creative Health in West Yorkshire, a research project designed to consider how creative health work could be grown, developed, and scaled up in the West Yorkshire footprint.
RESEARCH & ADVOCACY
As well as making change through their involvement in podcasting, attending conferences, making films, and creating public platforming events, the women of One Voice have also come together to help shape and advise on the future of the One Voice Collective, and our work with women and girls in general.
We’re so grateful to these incredible women for helping to shape the future of this work. Together, we are building something truly special.
Here, Chloe, who has come through the Behind the Mask and Begin 2 Change courses, explains why being part of this new Advisory Group is
important for her and her own personal development:
"I would love to work within this focus group, I think it would benefit me and other women. I have come such a long way since working with Sharon and verd de gris, I feel like I could benefit loads from the group and it’s nice to know that I’m not alone in this horrible world we live in. It’s helped me grow more confident within myself and with others. I feel this focus group would give me loads of opportunities in life and I will continue to grow and be able to give to other women."
CHLOE - ADVISORY GROUP MEMBER
THE NEXT STEP
verd de gris arts are busy developing new ideas and new opportunities for local women and girls. We want to involve as many local people as possible in the planning process, to ensure the programme reflects their needs, interests, and aspirations. And we want ensure the programme includes a variety of activities (workshops, performances, exhibitions, etc.) that cater to different interests, ages, and backgrounds within our local communities.
We aim to create a legacy, through skill-building, community networks, and ongoing projects, of work that brings joy, inspiration, and connection to everyone involved!
“The courses, performance events and related activities are more than just creative outletsthey are bridges. Bridges that foster understanding, break down barriers, and create a foundation for a more inclusive and united society. The friendships that form in these spaces are vital, not just for the women involved but for the ripple effect they create in the wider world.
One Voice Collective shows that differences do not have to be barriers; they can be the threads that weave us into something stronger, more vibrant, and more unified. This is why the work we do is so important.”
SAM - VERD DE GRIS ARTS
WANT TO FIND OUT MORE?
Thank you for reading this booklet! Our aim is to continue doing incredible work to support and empower local women and girls by offering courses, events, and opportunities tailored to their needs. Encouraging feedback and input from the community is a fantastic way to ensure that our programmes remain relevant and impactful.
If anyone is interested in learning more or getting involved, you can reach out to us directly by getting in touch via the contact details listed below.
e: sharon@verddegris.org
m: 07907 822323
w: www.verddegris.org
i: @verddegris_arts
Very special thanks to our photographers: PAULA SOLLOWAY: www.paulasollowayweddings.co.uk
GEOFF BROKATE: www.geoffbrokate.com and our illustrator PENNY MOE for her wonderful sketches of ONE VOICE
Our current programme is supported with funding from
