Creative recovery through sewing at Cygnet Hospital Woking
Recovery College Lead Susan Leigh recently organised a popular sewing workshop, carefully selecting beautiful, colourful felt materials with intricate patterns for participants to work with. The materials were pre-cut into various shapes, giving people the choice to create bookmarks, glasses cases, wallets, or cushions – ensuring everyone could start their project straight away.
“Learning new skills not only enhances confidence but also creates a real sense of accomplishment,” explained Susan. “These engaging activities help people experience positive emotions when they succeed, especially when working on projects that have personal meaning for them.”
The sewing sessions are part of the Recovery College’s broader approach to supporting people’s recovery journeys through meaningful, skill-building activities that promote wellbeing and personal growth.
Clinical Practice Educator Kirti Paik-Inkar praised the innovative approach: “Susan consistently impresses the team with her creative and engaging ideas that truly enrich our Recovery College sessions.”
The Recovery College activities demonstrate how creative learning can play a valuable role in supporting recovery, giving people opportunities to develop new skills whilst building confidence and experiencing the satisfaction of creating something meaningful.
