A group of Kent students have joined forces with a local hospice to share art sessions with people living with life-limiting conditions.
Pupils from years 11 to 13 at Sevenoaks School help to make ceramics and creative clay items in workshops run by the Hospice in the Weald in Pembury.
Nicola King, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 31, said the sessions meant « everything ».
« I love coming to this session, » she said. « It’s creative, I don’t have the use of both of my arms so being creative is very difficult for me. »
Fellow participant Sarah Reeve, who has limited mobility with her hands, said these sessions had given her an « injection of creativity ».
« You can explain what you want to do and then it’s as much your creation as anything, » she explained.
Andrew, 18, said: « Usually when we look at art I think we only look at the final product but in a way I think we often ignore this experience of making things together. »
According to year 11 pupil Sofiia, the sessions are a really unifying experience.
She said: « Some of these people we’ve met throughout this journey, and they’re only here for a certain period of time, but we get so close to them throughout art and I feel like art is the kind of thing that really, really brings us together. »
These sessions are part of free Living Well activities at the Pembury hospice, which plans to mark 10 years since the programme started by auctioning a piece of art made by participants.
The hospice needs to raise £9m every year for a range of projects, including the ongoing refurbishment to create a new in-patient ward and Living Well area.
Steph Hall, head of Living Well, said: « You don’t have to be at the very end of your life to access our services.
« The thing we ask everyone that comes here is what is most important to you, what matters most to you?
« And it’s through doing these things through different mediums like art and creative arts that they can actually find some joy. »
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