Peaced Together Guest blog

Peaced Together is a 10-week creative arts course for women with a difference. Using five themed craft projects, the course encourages women to reflect on their lives and set out on a personal journey from brokenness to hope. Since 2012, Peaced Together has helped over 1150 women and there are now 30 churches and community organisations offering the course around the UK. The course started in Barking and Dagenham where courses are still run today at The Hub @ Castle Point on Bennetts Castle Lane.

The Peaced Together course is all about working through difficult things you may have faced in life – and craft is the process that allows it to happen. On every course we see how creativity has the power to relieve stress, combat loneliness and increase people’s confidence. At Peaced Together we have seen the way that engaging in craft activities can improve wellbeing and make a big difference to people’s lives.

Creativity improves mental wellbeing
So why is creativity good for you? Using your hands and mind together to create something new forces your brain to focus on what you’re doing in that moment. This forces everyday pressures and worries away from centre stage. When this happens, even for a few minutes, it puts those worries in perspective and relieves the burden of stress. 

We know that Peaced Together allows this process to happen as our 2018 Impact Report showed that 93% of people felt more positive about life after taking the course. One of our Peaced Together graduates, Anna, said, “Last week’s session helped me more than 10 weeks of therapy!” 

Crafting together creates community and connection
The group setting of Peaced Together helps people to relax. Making things together creates a calm, open environment. For some, it creates a safe space to share difficult memories and issues that trouble them in daily life. 

We see people overcome lifelong shyness and make new, positive friendships on the course. Meeting with the same people in a safe place every week really does allow each group to get to know each other very well. One graduate from Essex said, “Peaced Together made me realise that doing things as a group and accepting each other’s encouragement and help makes life so much better.” Another graduate told us, “I have loved meeting with people weekly in an organised setting and building relationships.” 

Finding a creative outlet that suits you

We all have preferences and not everyone enjoys every craft! Peaced Together offers a variety of crafts to try so that each person can find something they like. We give people the chance to have a go at sewing, mosaic, painting, writing and scrapbooking. Trying something new - and seeing beautiful results - builds confidence and gives a great sense of satisfaction! 90% of our participants said their confidence increased as a result of the course, and we really see the difference in participants as the ten weeks pass.

Our aim is that each person that takes part will find a creative outlet to pursue beyond the end of the course. At many of our locations, Peaced Together graduates have formed weekly craft groups that allow people to get together and continue to build friendships that started on Peaced Together. For many, this is a lifeline out of loneliness.

At Peaced Together, we see the positive impact that creativity has on people’s lives firsthand, and that this is enhanced when it takes place in a group. The relationships and sense of connection that develop can truly transform lives.

If you are interested in attending a Peaced Together course or other craft groups in Barking and Dagenham, please contact The Hub @ Castle Point on 020 8227 1927

Find out more about Peaced Together at peacedtogether.co.uk

Twitter: @headipeaced

Facebook: facebook.com/beautyfrombrokenness
www.peacedtogether.co.uk/blog 

All statistics are taken from our 2018 Impact Report