Arts2Heal mental health charity in Blackburn gets broadband boost with FREE internet connection
Introduction to Arts2Heal
From humble beginnings in a small room above a coffee shop, Arts 2 Heal embarked on its mission in 2016 to harness the therapeutic potential of art to enrich lives and promote mental well-being. Since then, as a volunteer-led organisation, Arts 2 Heal has grown from that modest start to a dedicated team of over 25 volunteers, earning recognition from numerous community awards along the way.
Their journey has been marked by a steadfast commitment to reducing the stigma surrounding self-harm and mental health, as well as by the innovative methods developed to transform lives through art. They celebrate history and the positive impact they make in the lives of individuals and the community.
How partnering with Opus Broadband is helping mental health groups in Blackburn
We’ve got the gap is the digital skills for our members, we find that a lot of them because they’re isolated, They haven’t picked up the digital skills to move along with technology as it has done. So with the free broadband that we’ve got, we’ve hosted digital workshops, where we were teaching our members digital skills but in a very creative way
“Since COVID having a digital connection is key”
“People are recognising the value of it as it was like technology’s was creating isolated people as they’re always on their phones and devices. But I think now, it’s been an eye opener, that the positives of having that digital technology and the skills, it reaching people from across, not just across the country, but internationally, people are connecting, like we had members that connected to us from Canada, Korea, France. We had a lady from Korea who was a teacher recording our sessions to deliver to her students to teach them about connecting in digital and therapeutic benefits of art. So we found that access, but within our members that many of them have carried on like a lot of them that are maybe dropped at the charity or doing other things, we’re still finding that they’re using that platform to connect. And I think that’s the main the key thing with members that are isolated is finding a way of connecting from the comfort of one’s homes and technology allows them to do that. A lot of the members can’t afford broadband and things when they come in here. They want to quickly get on and say oh, yeah, can I just check my emails? Or will you just show me how to do this? We’ve got few tablets that have been donated, and somebody will go online and show everyone. We’ve got a WhatsApp group’s with members and one of them is about 45 members strong. it’s the things that everybody else probably everyday people take for granted. We’ve got pockets of communities, what we find in here because of our location, we find a lot of the members that are coming in and mixing we’ve got a really diverse group, but then it wouldn’t be just good enough just to have it in here because it’s not real. Yeah, real making the real difference in real lives. But because we have that digital connection, though, somebody will put you on Whatsapp group saying, oh, yeah, we’re meeting and we’re going to the cinema. Does anybody want to come a mixed group? Last week, it was somebody’s birthday and should just give a shout out and celebrate my birthday with a few moments and cinema together. So it’s finding that that the good doesn’t end here. Like outside of here. It continues on and then that’s making the real changes. Were we finding that we’re breaking down barriers. We challenging all those stigmas and stereotypes that people have gotten around mental health.
How would you like to be an Opus Partner?
The partnership is part of Opus Broadband’s ‘Internet For Everyone’ campaign which sees the company donate free broadband connections to homes and organisations that provide vital services to their community.
What is our Internet for everyone programme?
Internet for everyone is our Digital Social Initiative and our commitment to bridging the digital divide across towns and cities in the North West. We donate broadband to schools, charities, community groups, social landlords, and local authorities.
What we do
We donate 20% of our network coverage to deliver free broadband to families and organisations that need it the most to help close the digital divide.
Why we do it
We believe not enough is being done by the national Internet Service Providers to bridge the digital divide.
Whilst social tariffs have been introduced these are still at a cost to even the most disadvantaged families.
At Opus Broadband we decided we could make a real difference.
As an independent internet provider we are able to go the extra mile and offer our connections completely free of charge to those who would otherwise be without.
We recently visited The Life Centre a charity in Blackpool. To discuss the impact of the Internet for Everyone programme.
How can you get a referral for a FREE Broadband connection
We want to donate broadband to the digitally excluded who really need it. We can only do it with your help, if you are part of a local council, housing association, school or community group. Get in touch today through the link below.