CLC Front

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Introduction

The unique service provided by the Creative Living Centre has a very clear person centred holistic philosophy on which everything is based. Each person is encouraged to make their own choices from the activities available. In this way the individual becomes actively involved in improving his or her well-being. The range of activities available to members enables a person to find their own starting point to select the most appropriate support that meets their needs. We have created a flexible and accessible service, which allows people to use it as and when they need to.

Initially each person is offered an appointment where they are introduced to the centre and our approach. They are given time to discover and express what their needs are and identify their starting point. Each individual finds their own paths through the many opportunities available to them.


Our History

The development of the centre began in 1995 with an envisioning process involving service users and creative therapists. The Centre provides a person-centred holistic approach to people experiencing mental/emotional distress. Central to the work of the Creative Living Centre is the recognition that:

The physical, mental emotional and spiritual aspects of a person all contribute to a person's well being.

Between 1995 and 2000 the vision for the centre was gradually realised as funding became available. At first there was only one member of staff who worked with volunteers and professional therapists who volunteered their time to offer therapies and groups to a small number of people. When we were successful in our Community Fund award the scale of the Creative Living Centre activities changed based on the needs that were identified and we were able to offer a much wider range of therapies, self-help groups, classes and support to a much larger group of people. At the end of the grant we have almost nine hundred members and an average attendance each month of one thousand three hundred. We refurbished the building to provide a building where members could relax and enjoy themselves in pleasant surroundings, which reflected the respect they deserved. The healing garden was created and it provides a special place for members to seek peace and to socialise. The next step will be to hold on our success and develop a residential sanctuary to support people in crisis using the same philosophy and therapies that have been so successful at the centre.


Our Philosophy

Our Philosophy is to create an environment where people are approached as individuals in mind, body and spirit. Our members are people who suffer emotional distress and are supported in realising their potential through the experience of creative and health activities, social interaction and complementary therapies. The whole process offers each person time and understanding which encourages an active involvement in their own recovery and supports their journey into well being and social involvement.

Its origin was in an envisaging process with service users and creative therapists which led to the development of a different model of meeting mental health service users' needs. We have a membership which fosters the idea of being part of a supportive community which provides understanding, a listening ear and support through self help groups and social contact


Trustees

Maura Jordon

I have been involved in the Centre for the last few years. I had first hand experience with mental health problems in my immediate family from a very early age. Before coming here I had worked as an advocacy Representative for National Children's homes and was a volunteer, trustee and chair for Shopmobility for some years.

I became a volunteer in 2007 when we unfortunately had to let the staff go, due to lack of funding at that time. I helped out by doing some funding grants and did my best to support Roy (who was then chair) in anyway I could. In 2009 I became a trustee and later that year was voted Chair. I am passionate about the work we do at the Creative Living Centre and feel so privileged to be part of this community. I am here to support Liz our manager, as she also supports me, to lead the trustees with our forward planning and to make sure that we continue to consult our members, which we do through our monthly meetings.


David McAvoy,MBACP Adv Dip Couns.

I am a founder member of the Manchester and Salford Counselling Service Charity. I studied counselling at Salford University, Manchester College of Arts and Technology and The Manchester College. I have a certificate in Counselling Studies, a diploma in Counselling and an advanced diploma in the Theory and Practice of counselling. I am a member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists. I work in a part time capacity as a counsellor at the Pennine Acute Hospital Trust and am a trustee and volunteer counsellor at the Creative Living Centre.


Barbara Heron

Barbara's connection with the centre go back to its very beginning when it was a vision in the imagination of a group of mental health service users and she has seen it grow into a reality which is dynamic and of enormous benefit to many people. She was a trustee for several years and has now rejoined the group.

She taught for many years across all age ranges, in Yorkshire, Kenya, Nigeria then in Manchester and Bury, adding further qualifications in supporting people with learning difficulties and disabilities and a masters in assessment and evaluation. Having retired from active teaching, she still inspects colleges and provides some consultancy work. More importantly for the centre however, she trained as a remedial massage therapist and Aromatherapist over 15 years ago. She now works with a range of people including those with neuromuscular conditions and recently trained as a teacher of natural vision improvement, going to San Francisco to complete further training as a massage therapist. In the centre she works as a volunteer offering massage treatments and exercise for well-being.

She believes deeply in the work that the centre does, appreciating the more holistic, integrated and respectful ethos it supports and develops, and is keen to ensure that the centre continues to develop and to work with its members to provide what they need to live fulfilling safe lives in a welcoming community.


Staff


Liz Thompson – Centre Manager

I have a degree in Speech Pathology and I worked for 15 years in the NHS as a Speech and Language Therapist, specialising in working with children with complex needs and their families, during which time I developed a very person-centred, holistic approach to my practice. During my time with the NHS I also undertook management training and qualifications, including a certificate from the Institute of Supervisory Management, and I was seconded to work as Project Manager to oversee a new-build health centre including the logistics of moving a range of services into the building while providing continuity of out-of-hours care! I have also undertaken some consultancy work for the NHS working with staff and the public to look at proposed changes to a local hospital.

In 2004 I decided to make a change of career, and trained in both Reiki (to Master level) and Swedish Massage, and spent some time working at a Women’s Centre in Stockport as a volunteer then paid complementary therapist. I then looked for a post that would make more all-round use of my skills and was delighted to be offered the job as Centre Manager at the Creative Living Centre, where I started in September 2008. I have been warmly welcomed by all at the Centre, and relish the challenge of a job where no two days are the same! I sing, play guitar and have my own allotment, and you will sometimes find me joining in with these activities at the Centre, though not all at the same time! On a more serious note, I have long term experience of the effects of mental health issues on my close family members and I strongly believe in the holistic approach the Centre follows to enable people to learn, grow, and become more fully the person they want to be.