Funky Fridge gives disadvantaged people the chance to show off their artistry

May 16th 2011

Judith Gait and DHI group member

A 'Funky Fridge magnet' exhibit at Bath Abbey this week (May 16-22) will allow people who have been isolated through illness or addiction to present their work to the public for the first time.

Clients of Developing Health and Independence (DHI) charity will display fridge magnets on 30 different themes on a large fridge-freezer brought to the Abbey as part of the Think Different exhibition of homeless people's art from May 16 - 22.

The DHI clients have created drawings and paintings for the magnets, which sell for £1, with the proceeds going to help the Funky Fridge art project to cover its costs. The project is also part-funded by a grant of £1,930 from Quartet Community Foundation from the Redcliffe Homes Fund. More on the Funky Fridge project can be seen at:
http://funkyfridge.blogspot.com/

The clients created images of people, animals, angels and crockery after attending the art project run by DHI as part of its work to help socially excluded people to become more independent.

Some of the clients in the group were referred by GPs at the Orchard Centre in Kingswood, Bristol, as a way of helping them with conditions such as social isolation and depression.

One of the clients who has been helped by the art group is Alan Emerson-Smith, who said: "Since coming to DHI I decided to accept any and all of the facilities on offer. Art has been my salvation, having brought me closer to family and new friends and I feel it will be with me for the rest of my life."

Another client, Lesley Kennedy, said: "I was offered a place on the art class through my GP and what a difference it has made to me. I was suffering from depression after the loss of my mum and then losing my job, which I had been in for the last 21 years. I felt so low I did not go anywhere or want to see anyone. The group of people I am with are great and very friendly and I have been able to open up to them and that has helped immensely."

The Funky Fridge project is organised by Judith Gait, an artist who grew up in California, who has moved to Britain and has a master's degree in fine art from the University of the West of England.

She said: "The project is an example of using art to improve the well-being of health service users' lives. The medical practitioners at Orchard Medical Centre and DHI should be congratulated for providing a service that thinks outside the box and has resulted in beneficial health outcomes for patients with longstanding medical problems."

Tom O'Connor, Managing Director of Redcliffe Homes, said: "We are very impressed by the work of Developing Health and Independence and the opportunity they afford people to turn their lives around through projects such as this one."

The Funky Fridge exhibit is part of Think Different, an event organised by the Abbey as a way of challenging stereotypes of homeless people by showing their poetry, art work and photographs.

For further press details, please contact:

Tony Trueman, DHI Fundraiser
07792 062 154
tonytrueman@dhibath.org.uk

and

Kate Munglani, Marketing and Communications Manager, Quartet Community Foundation, Royal Oak House, Royal Oak Avenue, Bristol BS1 4GB Tel:
0117 989 7700 Email: kate.munglani@quartetcf.org.uk

NOTES

1. Quartet Community Foundation manages and distributes charitable funds on behalf of individuals, companies and organisations to meet local needs. In 2010/11 grants of more than £2.5m were awarded to over 1200 community projects across Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, touching the lives of thousands of people. Website: www.quaretcf.org.uk

2. DHI is based in Bath and works in five local authorities in the west, helping several thousand people each year who are socially excluded for reasons such as homelessness, emotional difficulties, learning disabilities, or alcohol or drug addiction.