Current Projects

CALM Project

A series of posters have been unveiled at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust following a collaboration between Open Art Box CIC and take heART, the trust-wide art and wellbeing group.

Open Art Box CIC is a not-for-profit arts organisation delivering a wide range of visual art projects to people living with early-stage dementia and their carers in Hertfordshire.

The project, titled CALM (Creating And Linking with the coMmunity), is a culmination of artwork created by Open Art Box participants in Stevenage and aims to enhance the wellbeing of individuals with early-stage dementia and their carers through the visual arts.

Facilitated by a number of different artists using a range of media, the participants of this project were invited to create images that promote a feeling of calm. Hospital staff were then invited to vote on the images they liked most, informing the final series of 10 images.

Rachel Chater and Sheena McLaggan, take heART founders, said: “Hospitals can be busy, confusing and, at times, difficult places for people to navigate. The CALM project is a series of images that aim to promote a calm and soothing environment for those being treated or visiting both hospital sites, as well as those who work in them.”

Working with Fiona Wilson, graphic designer, and Jake Culverhouse, photographer, these images have been transformed into colourful, vibrant and engaging posters that are displayed in high footfall areas of Bedford Hospital and Luton and Dunstable University Hospital (L&D).

Members of Open Art Box attended the L&D on Monday 7 October to view some of the artwork that has been displayed.

Anji Archer, Director of Open Art Box CIC, said: “It has been a pleasure to work with take heART. The project has given Stevenage participants, those living with dementia and their carers an opportunity to experience a public art programme working alongside local professional artists. Thank you to all those involved and the amazing participants who believed in their abilities to create.”

The project was funded by Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Charity and Bedfordshire Luton Community Foundation.

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We Are One

Staff were delighted to unveil the We Are One mural at the L&D.

The display, located on the first floor of the Surgical Block, was created by members of the take heART team to celebrate the rich multicultural heritage of our staff in the trust.

The trust is currently made up of colleagues from more than 100 di­fferent countries and, throughout our 75+ year history, many more have been pivotal in creating a lasting legacy for us all.

Yvonne Osuagwu, Project Lead, said: “I learned a great deal working on this project and met many delightful people. I am especially grateful to Janet Graham who spent time with me going through the hospital archives.”

Dr Rachel Chater and Dr Sheena McLaggan, take heART founders, added: “It was really wonderful to see this important take heART project come to life, celebrating the longstanding rich cultural diversity of our workforce and all they have to offer our patients, their families and each other.

“We are hugely grateful to Yvonne Osuagwu and Carol Smith, Librarian at Bedford Hospital and BAME staff network member, who came up with the concept for this installation. We would also like to thank Fiona Wilson, graphic artist, for creating this eye-catching mural.”

Under the Surface

In December 2023, a new gallery space in the L&D’s newly built main entrance opened.

Following on from our summer events where we looked at the talents and interests of our staff members outside of work, the gallery is titled Under the Surface and showcases the talents of one of our wonderful colleagues, Jason Lee.

Jason works in the Trust as a waste porter for ISS, but in his spare time is an experienced diver and passionate, dedicated and talented underwater photographer.

The pictures take a look at the wonders that lie under the ocean’s surface, and through a series of seascapes and sea creatures, encourage us to be curious about the wonderful and often unanticipated qualities that lie beneath the exterior. This is yet another reminder of the amazing staff we have working at our hospitals and how their skills and hobbies outside of work can translate to having a positive influence on their work, and benefit our local community. They are amazing, aweinspiring pieces that really brighten up our new main entrance area.

Thank you to Jason for kindly donating your wonderful photography for display and to our take heART team for their work to significantly improve and brighten up this space, and many other areas around both hospitals.

Supporting the Wellbeing of our Staff through Creativity

We have held a number of artist-led creative workshops for our staff with overwhelmingly positive feedback:

“A relaxing, calming, therapeutic escape”

“Amazing workshop – really enjoyed myself”

“Was lovely to sit, chill and get creative!”