WELCOME TO COOLTAN ARTS E-BULLETIN AUGUST 2010

Events take place at CoolTan Arts Unit B 237 Walworth Rd SE171RL

unless otherwise stated.
www.cooltanarts.org.uk www.afunnyfarm.org.uk info@cooltanarts.org.uk
Tel: 020 7701 2696

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – DON’T MISS THESE EVENTS

17th August, 2-3.30pm: Community Advocacy Meeting
21st August, 12noon: CoolTan Arts August Largactyl Shuffle: Family Treasure Hunt / Quiz
25th August, 7.30pm: Poetry Night with CoolTan Arts and Creekside Artists
26th August, 9.30am: Kew Gardens Visit for CoolTan participants, volunteers, staff, trustees
4th Sept, 1pm-5pm: Liberty Festival – ‘Anthropology’ Poetry Book Launch
11th Sept: Largactyl2Go
20th Sept 6.30pm: CoolTan Arts Annual General Meeting
9th October 11.30am: CoolTan Arts’ Sponsored Walk - *Part of the Story of London* - SIGN UP NOW!

UPCOMING EVENTS
CoolTan Arts August Largactyl Shuffle: Family Treasure
Hunt / Quiz
Date: Saturday 21 August 2010
Start: 12noon at Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, SE5
Join CoolTan Arts on this fun filled family day out with treasure hunt
and interactive quiz. Discover local history, famous & infamous
inhabitants of Southwark, and uncover the history of mental health
in the borough. All welcome, bring your children, family and friends.
CoolTan Arts Largactyl Shuffle is a guided cultural walk from the
Maudsley Hospital to Tate Modern designed to encourage mental
and physical wellbeing, through art, exercise, humour and history,
de-stigmatizing mental distress.

Come along and add to the discussion and exploration, share your thoughts and ideas, enjoy the company of
others and have fun.

Walkers meet at 12 noon at the main entrance of Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, SE5 8AZ. Call CoolTan
Arts on 07985658443 if you require further information or cannot find the group of walkers on the day.

CoolTan Arts and Creekside artists at the Fringe

Poetry & Spoken Word Night + Open Mic Night
Wednesday 25 August 2010, 7.30pm – 9.30pm

CoolTan Arts partners with Creekside artists to cohost a free evening of poetry
& Spoken Word, with CoolTan poets presenting their work, short films and
Open Mic as part of the Alternative Fringe Festival.

Participants from CoolTan Arts poetry workshop will read their poems at this
event and you will have the opportunity to get a preview of CoolTan Arts’
‘Anthropology’ Poetry Book that will be officially launched at the Liberty
Festival on 4th September.

All welcome, come along to this exciting and inspiring event.

Venue: Seven Dials Club, 42 Earlham Street, London, WC2H 9LA, near
Covent Garden.
Kew Gardens Visit for CoolTan participants, volunteers, staff, trustees
Thursday 26 August 2010
Join us for a fun day out! CoolTan has 52 tickets to visit Kew Gardens for free.
Please bring your own packed lunch. We will be travelling by bus and tube. The
trip is free but we do not cover transport costs.
We meet at 9.30am at CoolTan Arts or 11.30am outside Kew Gardens,
Victoria Gate. RSVP essential by Friday 20 August. Please book your place with Clara or Uriri.
CoolTan Arts will be closed on this day so that all staff can come along.

‘Anthropology’ launch at Liberty festival

Saturday 4th Sept 2010, 1pm-5pm, Trafalgar Square
CoolTan Arts launches its poetry book ‘Anthropology’, produced by
CoolTan Arts’ poets in our workshop, at the Liberty Festival on 4th
September 2010. CoolTan Arts will have a stall where you can buy
the poetry book and our poets will also give you a flavour of their
poems in a short performance/poetry reading in the Cabaret space.
The Liberty Festival celebrates the contribution of Deaf and disabled people to London's culture. It will be a
great chance to meet the poets, buy to poetry book and enjoy performances from a wide range of UK artists
and companies as well as workshops, stalls, food and much more.
Liberty welcomes everyone and is friendly and accessible. Complete programme on
http://www.london.gov.uk/liberty/.

CoolTan Arts Sponsored Walk – Be part of the Story of London

Join the fun, celebrate Mad Heritage and World Mental Health Day
Saturday 09 October 2010, 11.30am for a 12noon start
Where: Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, SE5 8AZ (by the main entrance)
Finish: Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1 9TG
Celebrate mad heritage, explore the past, present and future of madness and psychiatric innovation. We will
be celebrating World Mental Health Day and ‘mad’ culture by placing disposable public sculptures produced in
our Sculpture Workshop.
Join CoolTan Arts Largactyl Shuffle Sponsored Walk and help us raise money to enable CoolTan Arts to move
to a much needed new building and continue running our high quality arts activities!
From the Maudsley Hospital to Tate Modern, a sponsored walk to raise money and challenge stigma
associated with mental distress. Go to http://www.justgiving.com/cooltanartslargactylwalkers to sponsor us, or
even better, join the walk, get yourself sponsored and help us all. Sign up now! Email Clara on
clara@cooltanarts.org.uk for a registration form. More details will follow and soon be available on our website
as well.

RECENT NEWS
CoolTan in the press
We have been published in Cascade, the magazine published by Community Action Southwark, and in the
South London Press recognising our work in supporting people who are experiencing mental distress. You can
read and download the articles in our press section on the website http://www.cooltanarts.org.uk/press/
South London Press - Our Heroes Awards 2010
Largactyl Shuffle in Community Action Southwark Magazine

Welcome to new members of staff

We have 10 additional people to support CoolTan Arts and the people that come here. They are all working for
25 hours over 6 months and are funded through the Future Jobs Fund. It’s an excellent opportunity for us and
the young people. Please pop in and say hello to Uriri, Jade, Gracia, Elisha, Zoe, Ling, Adam, Philip, Dean,
Denver. Welcome to all!
WORKSHOPS AND ACTIVITIES – OPEN TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING MENTAL DISTRESS
Join a regular workshop at CoolTan
Do you need to get out of the house? Come along to one of CoolTan’s workshops to meet people, learn
new skills, have fun, and break out of isolation with like-minded people. Our workshops are open to any
adults experiencing mental distress with access to direct payments or Community Care Plan CPA. Please
contact CoolTan Arts on 020 77012696 or email referrals@cooltanarts.org.uk for more details or to make a
booking.

Workshop Timetable
Day Morning Afternoon Evening
Visual Arts 1-3pm
Mondays Volunteering Batik 2-4pm Volunteering
Sculpture 3.30-5.30pm
Basic / Intermediate IT 12-4pm (please book)
Yoga, Meditation and de-stress 1pm-2pm
Tuesdays Drawing 11am-1pm Movement Therapy: 2pm-3pm Volunteering
Photoshop 2pm-4pm
Video & filming 4-6pm
Visual arts women only 2-4pm
Wednesdays Volunteering Knitting 4pm-6pm Volunteering
Web development 4-6pm
Thursday Poetry 11-1pm Largactyl Shuffle workshop 2-4 pm Volunteering

Friday *NEW* Visual Arts 10.30am- N/A

Visual Arts 1-3pm
12.30pm
rd
Saturday’s N/A Largactyl Shuffle Walk 12noon, every 3 Saturday N/A

New courses at CoolTan Arts - Open to the whole community

Meditation and relaxation – Tues 1pm-2pm. Learn to relax through meditation techniques.
Movement therapy –Tues 2pm–3pm Movement therapy classes use music and movement to
help you relax and enhance your well being.
All welcome, as long as you are over 19, no upper age limit, minimum donation £1. Please come
along. Ring us on 020 7701 2696 if you have any questions.

Become part of the Story of London – join CoolTan Arts’ sculpture workshop
Mondays 3.30pm-5.30pm
Be part of the story of London in October and make a sculpture in our workshop with Rossen. The
workshops are open to adults experiencing mental distress. For more information, please contact
rosie@cooltanarts.org.uk.

Community Advocacy Meeting: Access to Employment

Tuesday 17 August, 3pm-4.30pm
This month we’ll be joined by Job Centre Plus’ Disability Employment Advisor Paul Winslow and colleagues for
a talk on how the Job Centre can assist people to access employment. Come along to find out more and ask
your questions about employment. If you have any questions you’d like us to raise, please email
rosie@cooltanarts.org.uk or call 0207 7012696. We look forward to seeing you then!

Self-Advocacy Training Skills Programme – August / September 2010

Self-advocacy skills training can assist in knowing and accessing your rights and getting your
voice heard in many situations.
We’ve external trainers lined-up this month and in the autumn providing several specialist
practical skills workshops, aiming to complete the structure for Programme-1 that will form
the basis of the second years’ courses. Thanks to all involved in designing this innovative
course. Workshops will run until mid-August at CoolTan Arts, then again from the 2nd week of September:

>> Wednesday 4th August 11am - 12.45pm: open to recently joined CoolTan Arts team members, volunteers
and Self-advocacy Skills Training participants to: ‘A history of our own times - mental health history into
today & the future: a brief introduction’ - a bit like Shakespeare’s plays crammed into an hour and a half,
with Alan Aykbourne in the interval.
>> Thursday 5th August 2pm - 4.30pm: Andrew Carpenter, London Co-ordinator, National Brokerage
Network, presents a practical workshop with debate:
‘Support plans, brokers and personal budgets: personalised services and you’
http://www.nationalbrokeragenetwork.org.uk/regional_coordinators.html

>> Wednesday 11th August 11am - 12.45pm and Thursday 12th August 2pm - 4.30pm
Topics may include employment rights/medications/children and family situations – please look out for updates
or contact CoolTan for the latest news!

***Phil is on holiday from the 16th August, returning on Tuesday 31st August. The programme will start
again 2nd week of September. Have an enjoyable summer***
More details and updates available at CoolTan Arts, or phone, email or write to us and ask for Phil Ruthen,
Advocacy Training Coordinator.
Telephone: 020 7701 2696 or
Mobile: 0798 565 8443 
phil@cooltanarts.org. News at: http://www.cooltanarts.org.uk/advocacy-2/ and http://afunnyfarm.org.uk/

VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
Why volunteer? – Need help getting back into work, want to give back to the community
Volunteers do a wonderful job and CoolTan couldn’t exist without the work they do. Volunteering at CoolTan
Arts can help you gain confidence and new skills, get work experience, make new friends.
Volunteer opportunities are available every day. If you would like to help us, please speak to Asia at CoolTan,
contact her on 020 7701 2696, email volunteers@cooltanarts.org.uk or check the website
http://cooltanarts.org.uk/category/voluntary-position/ for more details.

Walk Leaders Wanted - The Largactyl Shuffle Group is looking for new walk leaders
Meeting Time: Thursdays 2.00 – 4.00pm at CoolTan Arts
The group will do research, learn about local history, go on trips, learn new skills, get fit and have fun!
You will have the opportunity to take part in a variety of exciting training including First Aid/ Mental Health First
Aid, Conflict Resolution, Assertiveness Training and Public Speaking through story telling.
If you’d like to get involved with the group, please contact us on 020 77012696 or email
asia@cooltanarts.org.uk.

Services for Health and Social Care Organisations, mental health practitioners, GPs, social
workers, key workers…
CoolTan Arts can work with GPs and other health professionals to meet the social care needs of their clients.
We are very keen to meet you and your teams and tell you more about the services CoolTan Arts offers.
If you are a community mental health practitioner and you would like to refer clients, please contact us on 020
77012696 or email referrals@cooltanarts.org.uk.
If you are interested in finding out more about us and how we can work with your organisation, or want a
CoolTan representative at your team meetings to give an introduction to CoolTan, please contact us on 020
77012696 or email asia@cooltanarts.org.uk.

Last, but not least, a big thanks to our donors, funders, supports, and to all the people who give their time and
energy to CoolTan Arts and make what we do possible.

CoolTan Arts believes mental wellbeing is enhanced by the power of creativity.

We are proud to have as Patrons: Maggi Hambling, Sokari Douglas Camp, Ali Smith, Clare Allan
and Rosemary Shrager

Unit B 237 Walworth Rd London SE17 1RL T: 0207 701 2696 M: 0798 565 8443
W: www.cooltanarts.org.uk E: info@cooltanarts.org.uk
CoolTan Arts Registered charity number 1064231 Company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales reg. 3244552