By Noah Roberts
Leeds folk are coming together to raise funds for a meaningful cause: a grassroots initiative originally started in Armley which is dedicated to reducing isolation and loneliness.
The Big Doodle is happening on Friday, June 20, from 5pm to 10pm at Left Bank, Burley, with an art raffle, fairground games, and an art market, with tickets at £5.
Doodle Chat was founded by a talented artist Edek Thompson, who lives with chronic pain and felt isolated after the loss of his brother.
Edek said: “By holding a pencil to doodle I found this little act of doodling meant I didn’t I have to look a person in the eye, I could just start talking with a bit of distraction and I thought this could be helpful for other people.”
Now Edek and his volunteers deliver regular sessions across the city. Edek’s Doodle Chat offers free weekly drop-in creative sessions designed to connect individuals through the positivity of artistic expression.
Edek has two established groups in Armley and at Left Bank and more recently a new group started in Harehills at the Thackray Medical Museum.
Often people who live with physical and mental health challenges find themselves isolated especially during the daytime. These groups are more vital in our community especially since
<ental health services are stretched and more cuts have been made. The protest against the proposed closure of Armley Stocks Hill mental health hub is one example of this.
It is the simplicity of the relaxed free drop-in spaces that makes them so popular as people can come and go with no pressure and all art materials are provided.
The groups are open to all so that anyone can just drop by and start creating and have a chit chat.
Doodle Chat is a positive space that it’s doodle focuses on the shared creativity giving a non-judgmental, safe outlet for people to express their own creativity in a way that works for them.
The groups provide a much needed breathing space in people’s week to help them get their well-being back on track and help them connect with like minded people so they feel more connected and less isolated.
Attendee Edgar added: “Attending Doodle Chat has enabled me to become mentally healthier and to develop my art practice.’”
Martin, a regular to Doodle Chat, said he attends ‘because I need support and friendship’.
Doodle Chat works in area of social isolation and can be for some people their own social contact during the week. Patrick a regular attendees who has Parkinson’s and struggles with his mental health at times, has attended doodle chat for almost three years ‘it changed my life, it takes my mind off other things and just makes me very happy’.
Ty said: “Being at Doodle Chat has actually made me more social and open to people.”
A popular social media channel Leeds Plus Social recently visited Doodle Chat making a video that they shared on both Facebook and Instagram has has almost 3,000 likes which shows just the importance
The success of this fundraiser relies heavily on the community’s participation. The team now has to raise money to help the initiative continue and are calling on you to spread the word about their fundraising event happening on Friday, 20 June at Left Bank.
Edek’s Doodle Chat has recently become a community interest company meaning whatever they make will be reinvested into the initiative. They have set up a GoFundMe account to help raise funds.
The Doodle Chat sessions are supported by local volunteers all who are determined to continue to offer free creative sessions in the community.
Their goal is to continue to provide groups that help individuals combat feelings of loneliness and isolation.
All funds raised go directly to continuing to help supply materials, host gatherings, and maintain a welcoming environment that promotes mental well-being through artistic expression.
For more about Doodle Chat and their long-term aims take a look at the website and social media.
- Website:https://thehighriseproject.co.uk/projects/edeksdoodlechat/
- Instagram: Edeksdoodlechat.
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