"We believe that promoting the arts in health care can be a valuable and effective additional avenue for promoting good health in innovative and accessible ways.

We are aware that hospitals and clinics that are creatively designed and furbished have faster recovery rates for patients and better recruitment and retention of staff, while the growing practice of offering creative opportunities to patients and staff has demonstrated that participation in such projects increases self-esteem and motivation, reduces stress and can provide a sense of empowerment and connectedness, all of which, of course, are health enhancing.

HAUL has successfully received grants from the Arts Council of Wales and the Social Risk Fund to increase their activities in the community. The group of volunteers has run many projects over the last 10 years.

Projects have included a wandering minstrel playing requests on the violin in the waiting rooms, mosaics of local beauty spots created by health support groups and a mural in the accident and emergency department at Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth to distract children receiving treatment.

The next project will be free arts workshops for children with long term health problems and their siblings. They will be held every other Saturday afternoon at Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Starting on 21 October 2006. For further information about HAUL, please contact Alice Briggs on 01970880743.

Article written by Alice Briggs.