Heartbeat Wales (Curiad Calon Cymru) is a small project which is to do with tackling the isolation of various ethnic groups in north Wales. I try to encourage people of different ethnic origins to get out into the environment - the natural environment (mountains, beaches, woodland, historic gardens), but also the built environment (art galleries, historic houses, industrial architecture).

I'm arranging an art project first with a group of Polish people in the Llŷn Peninsula. We're going to go to Glynllifon Park, Caernarfon, to do a wonderful collage project with a local artist. We'll create two or three pieces of artwork to be shown in a minorities view exhibition to tour north Wales in 2007.

We're also going to perhaps do some watercolours with a Filippino group from Denbighshire and maybe take some people from the Chinese population to an historic garden to do pottery or basket weaving.

When I introduce the idea of getting out into the environment with people of different ethnic origins I use lots of photos to show parks, gardens, mountains and buildings. Many have never been to an historic garden because they see perceived barriers to accessing those sights. There's a bit of a perception that things like country houses are slightly elitist - a middle class, white occupation, which is obviously not true. When they see the pictures, they really want to go.

Also, we find that a lot of ethnic communities have problems with lack of transport, funds and time. They work really hard and don't have time for leisure pursuits, like walking through the mountains at the weekend. So we try to arrange specific events which will give them an idea of the wider environment in which they're now living - beyond the chicken factory where they might work. You can't expect someone to just leap on a bus and end up at a National Trust property!

The percentage of ethnic people living in north Wales is very small, compared to large English cities. So you've got problems with rural isolation and everyone can be really split up. There are also very few established societies for ethnic people in this area. One of the most organised is the North Wales Chinese organisation, but there are so many people dotted about that we try to bring people together as a networking organisation - perhaps link up all the Polish people in north Wales.

I know all the historic gardens quite well by now and my favourite is probably Bodnant Garden. I've had some lovely trips there with some really diverse groups. We took some members of the Chinese community there in the summer and we really enjoyed looking at the different plants, so many of which originate in Asia. So there's a link through the trees and the plants. If you're language isn't great, seeing things in nature is a way in, it gives a focus to a day out.
Philippa Owen