In a world where the pressures of modern life increasingly erode mental health, community initiatives rooted in creativity and care are proving to be vital lifelines. One such regional based initiative is Creative Alternatives, an arts and wellbeing service that been quietly transforming lives in Merseyside, since its inception in 2006. Originating in Sefton, the programme has grown over the past decade in St Helens, shaping a model of support that champions human connection, creativity, and inclusivity.
The Creative Alternatives programme began almost twenty years ago, with the St Helens service, established in 2015, now reaching its own milestone of a decade. For Helen Holden, who has managed and facilitated the service since its early days in the region, this longevity is a cause for celebration. She reflects that continuing to thrive after ten years is an outstanding accomplishment, especially given the challenges that they have faced over time. With venues shifting and the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the strength of the programme has been its consistency. As Holden notes, the service has remained a small, close-knit team, offering people a dependable space in which to find support and expression within a safe place.
Originally structured as a fixed 12-week programme, it has since evolved into a more flexible engagement model. Participants now have the option of joining for seven or twelve weeks, reducing any pressure on those who might otherwise feel they had failed if unable to complete the full duration. Such changes illustrate the service’s responsiveness to the realities of those living with anxiety, depression, and stress. When the pandemic forced services online, Creative Alternatives rose to the challenge. For many participants already vulnerable to isolation, the continuation of creative sessions in virtual spaces provided not only a structure, but also vital human connection during a time of collective uncertainty.
At the heart of Creative Alternatives lies the principle of Arts on Prescription. Rather than focusing primarily on clinical diagnoses, the service adopts a social model of care that sees the individual before the illness. Helen explains that the emphasis is less about the label, and more about the person. This approach does not replace clinical services nor suggest that participants abandon medical treatment. Rather, it provides a complementary and human centred way of working – allowing people to feel seen, heard, and supported. Creativity becomes a pathway to wellbeing, and as such, activities are carefully designed by facilitators to integrate expressive arts including writing, visual art, and sculpture, with mindfulness and self care strategies. The project often draws inspiration from nature, using themes such as the seasons, animals, the elements, the human form or colour to anchor participants in experiences that are accessible, yet profound. Each session begins with a mindfulness practice, often involving breathwork, and creating a grounding space before participants immerse themselves in creative expression. In this way, artistry and wellbeing interweave seamlessly, offering skills and strategies that participants can continue to apply beyond the workshops.
“Reaching the ten-year milestone in St Helens is something I’m immensely proud of, not just for myself but for everyone who has been part of this journey. Through challenges, including the pandemic, what has kept us going is the commitment to being a small, close-knit team that people can truly rely on. For many, Creative Alternatives is more than a programme, it’s a safe space to be seen, heard, and supported through creativity and connection.” – Helen Holden, Programme Manager, Creative Alternatives
Creative Alternatives is open to all adults over 18, with no upper age limit. People can self refer or be referred by healthcare professionals, community workers, or through seeing their promotional material in public spaces. Self referral gives individuals agency, often serving as an empowering first step towards recovery. Newcomers are welcomed with an introductory call and a taster session, helping them to gain a sense of the service before committing to the longer programme. Once, they join a weekly group at St Helens Town Hall, remaining within the same cohort for the initial block of the programme. This continuity fosters trust, friendship, and a supportive peer environment that often extends beyond the sessions themselves.
Evaluation has been key to demonstrating the service’s overall impact. Participants complete wellbeing measures such as the Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale at multiple points during their time in the programme. On average, scores improve by around five points, comfortably exceeding the target set. Lifestyle questionnaires track changes in areas such as diet, alcohol consumption, G.P. visits, and social engagement, with results consistently indicating positive outcomes. Yet, it is the qualitative feedback that most powerfully captures the projects impact. Many participants speak of the service as a lifeline, or the best support they have ever received. For the Creative Alternatives team, such feedback is both humbling and affirming – underscoring the profound difference that this project has made.
The programme has also gained recognition beyond its immediate community. Awards such as the North West Public Health Award, and Team of the Year highlight its quality and innovation. While Holden is quick to stress that accolades are not the goal, she acknowledges that such recognition strengthens credibility and helps sustain funding. The service currently receives support from St Helens Borough Council’s Public Health Service, and the Arts in Libraries programme within Council, though this support can never be taken for granted.
Looking ahead, Helen expresses a strong desire to expand the range of creative activities offered, to develop new partnerships, and establish a formal volunteer programme. She sees the particular value in enabling participants themselves to contribute to the design and future direction of the service. Those with lived experience bring insights that industry professionals cannot replicate, and the creation of peer led groups or spin off sessions beyond the initial programme could greatly enrich the community. Many participants have also expressed a wish to remain engaged beyond the twelve-week cycle, and as such, building opportunities for an extended involvement would be a natural and rewarding development for its growth.
“When we first set out in Sefton almost twenty years ago, our vision was to create an arts-based model of care that put people before labels, and creativity before clinical categories. Seeing the St Helens service thrive for a decade is deeply inspiring, and a testament to the dedication of Helen and her team. Most importantly, it shows the enduring value of placing compassion and creativity at the heart of mental health support.” – Dr. Jessica Bockler, Co-founder, Creative Alternatives
For Helen Holden, leading Creative Alternatives in St Helens across the past decade has been both a professional achievement, and a deeply personal journey. Having personally experienced anxiety, she understands the challenges that are faced by the participants, and the importance of creating spaces that are supportive rather than judgemental. She describes her role as a source of pride and humility, one that has allowed her to grow alongside the service itself. Above all, she values being part of a collective effort and continuing the legacy that was first established in Sefton by Jessica Bockler and her colleagues.
As Creative Alternatives prepares for its next decade, its ethos remains unchanged: to place creativity, compassion, and community at the centre of mental health and wellbeing support. At a time when clinical services are often overstretched and impersonal, the programme demonstrates how small, dedicated teams can make an enduring difference.
For those who walk through its doors, it offers not only the opportunity to create, but also the chance to connect, to heal, and to hope. And long may it continue.
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