Milton Keynes Arts Charity leads the finale at TEDxNHS 2024

TEDxNHS is the world’s largest TEDx event license holder – representing the 1.5 million people who work across health and social care (TEDxNHS website), and on Saturday the audience were taken on a roller coaster of emotional, motivating and inspiring stories from trailblazers doing everything to understand, support and uphold the care needs and the wellbeing of every person.

Speakers included Jason Cohen the first person to experience Deep Brain Stimulation for Tourettes; Siobhan Ballan founder of the BEAM Project to fight against child sexual abuse; and Naabil Khan, creator of the award-winning website Skin For All, and a prominent voice for Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities.

The opening performance was by the “Melodies for Mums” project, whose work in reducing symptoms of post-natal depression is clinically proven; and three of The CLICK Arts Foundation Burlesque Squad – instructor and Chartered Psychologist Dr Audrey Tang, NHFT Crisis Worker Patsy Wright, and NHFT Pharmacy Technician Jemma Gambrill led the finale with a talk focused on the empowerment and body appreciation that comes through Burlesque dance.

Since forming as a charity in 2023 (having been a fundraising community theatre group for 30 years before!), CLICK Arts Foundation champions the power of the arts for wellbeing and as a preventative method when it comes to poor mental health.

It has grant funded a number of local arts projects who boost wellness within their local communities through the creative and performance arts these include LOL Theatre’s Rita Ranger show and The Good Times Project Silent Disco Marquee.

This year the charity released their second Charity Single to raise awareness of Bedfordshire VERU’s #justdropit campaign. As part of their own fundraising, CLICK Arts Foundation hosts wellbeing events such as the Age of Love Café’s in collaboration with The University of Sheffield’s Professor Sharron Hinchliff.

They also held an evening to raise awareness of World Suicide Prevention Day with speakers and mental health advocates from the Northants, Beds, Bucks and Berks areas – all run by their Burlesque Squad, who also perform and lead the audience in a movement workshop of body appreciation at the end.

There are so many benefits to involvement in the arts that go beyond performance alone. In her talk, Dr Audrey Tang said “Research has shown that just being involved in something creative boosts overall wellness and self-esteem – BUT with no correlation between self-esteem and competency – it’s not a case of ‘I dance well, therefore I value myself, but rather I dance – therefore I value myself.”

And on Wednesdays at the St Crispin Community Centre, Northampton, CLICK’s in-house Burlesque dance squad – and anyone who wants to give it a go – meet to shimmy their stuff – in a safe, and empowering space.

With research also showing that creative and performing arts can lower the prevalence of depression because it reduces internalised behaviours and enhances communication and connectivity, TEDx performer and Trustee Patsy Wright explained “I am a living example of how much dance has helped me with my mental health – I encourage everyone to do something that allows them to self-express and be creative.”

Jemma Gambrill (also a TEDx Performer and Trustee) added “It was such an incredible day as every person’s story connected to give you strength and hope – and that’s what we work to do with CLICK, whether it’s through the projects we sponsor, or our events and dance classes.”

To find out more about CLICK www.clickartsfoundation.org.uk.