Kiltwalk 2024 FREE charity places for Edinburgh and Dundee Expand DUNDEE - Sunday August 11 EDINBURGH - Sunday September 15 “Doing the Aberdeen Kiltwalk was an amazing experience! I signed up quite late, and the thought of completing a long walk with little training was slightly daunting, but I shouldn’t have worried one bit. Everyone along the route was so friendly, and there were lots of members of the public dotted along the track to cheer us on and offer much needed refreshments. The walk was mainly through the countryside, and it was brilliant to take in the beautiful views in the lovely weather. It was also really fun seeing all the different charities that other walkers were fundraising for, and there was a real community feel to the day. I’d definitely recommend that other people take part: what’s better than walking through Scotland’s amazing scenery while raising money for a great cause?” The Kiltwalk is a great event for all the family, the Wee Wander option offers a distance suitable for all those 8 years+ and dogs on leads are always welcome at this event. The Kiltwalk team aim to make all walks as accessible as possible for wheelchair users and prams but due to the terrain this is not always possible - please contact the Kiltwalk directly to find out if the route you wish to take is accessible for your needs. Choose your distance and contact Charlene for your free code today Mighty Stride Big Stroll Wee Wander Charity places require a minimum fundraising total of £100 for adults and £30 for children and all fundraisers will be supported with ideas on how to maximise your fundraising! What else is included? Pin badge Teapot Trust T-shirt or running shirt +All the Kiltwalk goodies Dedicated fundraising support We have a range of thank you gifts for reaching further fundraising milestones: Reach your £100 goal – you will receive a personalised certificate Reach £250 – you will receive a Teapot Trust tote bag Reach £500 – you will receive a personalised Kiltwalk finishers mug All children taking part will receive a Teapot Trust pencil pot with pencils and a personalised certificate.
Scottish Children's Lottery By signing up for The Scottish Children’s Lottery through a designated link on our website, each participant will contribute 20% of their stake directly to Teapot Trust. Expand We're pleased to announce our recent partnership with Scottish Children's Lottery. Through this partnership, we have the chance to receive additional funding to support our cause and valued supporters, like you, will have the chance to win great cash prizes. It's a great way to boost funding and the more people we can get to sign up, the more funding we can raise. Support us by subscribing today via the Teapot Trust Link Together, we could be on to a winner! By playing the Scottish Children’s Lottery, you are raising money to help children in Scotland. Players of The Scottish Children's Lottery have raised over £8 million for good causes! With the support of players like you, The Scottish Children's Lottery are able to help local community groups, and are now able to support art therapy via Teapot Trust. By signing up for The Scottish Children’s Lottery through a designated link on our website, each participant will contribute 20% of their stake directly to Teapot Trust. All funds raised are distributed by a grant-giving charity, Scottish Children’s Lottery Trust
Sfiyah's Story Expand On Christmas morning, 10-year-old Sfiyah became ill, her temperature spiked, her joints swelled, and she became limp. Her mum, Parvina, started to panic. She had developed chicken pox, which for most children causes unpleasant itchy side effects but for Sfiyah who lives with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, the virus caused serious complications. As each new spot appeared she became increasingly unwell. “Time felt like it stopped.” The presents they had been so excited to watch Sfiyah open were left lying on the floor as they rushed to the hospital. "It felt deeply unfair for her to be in a hospital bed instead of at home enjoying the family being together and just being a kid, excited that Father Christmas had visited." JIA has a devastating impact on 11,000 children in the UK. Sfiyah’s illness and diagnosis had a devastating blow on the lives of the whole family. Thankfully this was helped by the early intervention of Teapot Trust art therapy which allowed Sfiyah to communicate how she was feeling and bring some colour back into their lives. "Family life completely changed when Sfiyah first became unwell. She used to have what I now know are flare-ups and she would feel terrible and sore for weeks at a time. It’s not an illness I expected any child to have. To see my youngest in agony and be powerless to ease her suffering broke my heart. After she was diagnosed, the happy girl I knew shrank even more with the dread of regular injections which left her feeling horribly nauseous and completely drained of energy. The impact the diagnosis had on her mental health was unbearable. To hear your child say they don’t want to be here anymore - words can’t describe the anguish and fear it caused in me and my husband. She became more and more withdrawn and eventually refused to talk about how she was feeling. Our world collapsed. It took a lot of time to just reflect on what was going on. I tried to hide my own emotional distress from Sfiyah as I didn’t want her to see me so worried. I had to give up work and become a full-time carer, as all the appointments were really difficult to manage and I wanted to be there for Syfia as much as possible - especially during the flare-ups. The toll hit my older sons too, they wanted to help and protect their sister but there was nothing they could do to take this away and they found that so difficult. It felt like a wall had hit us but then she began art therapy with Teapot Trust. Jane, the Teapot Trust art therapist began to build confidence in Sfiyah which allowed her to start opening up about her feelings. Her body language changed, she became relaxed and happy again. She was part of a group session that introduced her to children battling the same condition and enduring the same stiffness, pain, and grueling treatment regime of tests and injections. For Sfiyah, it was a penny-drop moment when she realised it wasn’t just her and she wasn’t alone. Sfiyah started to wake up happy knowing she had art therapy later that day. That hour on a Wednesday became something we all looked forward to. We would have this 48-hour window where everything felt like it did before and there was a sense of the old family we had once been. She would even wake up on a Thursday happy to go to school even though her injections were the next day. Although JIA continues to pose challenges for Sfiyah, she now has an outlet with art which has made both her school and home life happier. I can’t stress enough how essential it was for Sfiyah to have a way to communicate with us that wasn’t verbal. How she feels can be far too complex for a child to articulate. Sfiyah’s newfound ability to express herself through art therapy allowed her to share her feelings." My little girl’s sparkle is back and I can't thank Teapot Trust enough. Donate today to support families like Sfiyah's
How can I get support? Expand Referrals usually come from pediatric clinicians, other children’s health charities, young patient advocacy groups, community health workers, and others. We also take self-referrals from families. To assess whether and how we can best meet your child’s needs, we ask that you complete the form to go through the assessment process.
Are Teapot Trust’s art therapists qualified? Expand We have 30 professionally qualified and registered art therapists who work on a sessional basis. (That means they’re contractors, not staff.) They all have a Masters degree in art therapy and are registered with both the Health and Care Professions Council and the British Association of Art Therapy. Their hours vary with some working with us just a few hours each week and others doing significantly more.
How many sessions are required? Expand Teapot Trust art therapy is usually delivered in blocks of 8-12 weeks (one hour per week). This includes one-to-to-one art therapy, small group art therapy with children and young people who have the same chronic health condition on common (e.g. Juvenile Arthritis, Cystic Fibrosis, Kidney Disease, Diabetes etc.) and family art therapy for families struggling to cope with the impact of the illness.
Do you provide therapy for the whole family? Expand Family art therapy enables families under great strain (who might, for instance, be struggling to accept a child’s diagnosis, be exhausted from constant care-giving and sibling-tensions) for whom the pandemic has exacerbated the pressures they already felt to: articulate feelings in a safe space where they can hear and understand others’ perspectives navigate their health journey together build resilience so that the chronic condition does not define family life.
Do you provide therapy online? Expand We deliver online and in person art therapy depending on the needs of the child, group or location. During online art therapy, we take great care not to compromise the professional integrity of our therapy and highlight our security protocols.
What is a chronic condition? Expand Chronic conditions are those which in most cases cannot be cured, only controlled, and are often life-long and limiting in terms of quality of life. They include: Juvenile Idipathic Arthritis Diabetes Lupus Cystic Fibrosis Kidney Disease.
How will art therapy help me live well with a chronic condition? Expand Outcomes for children and young people, delivered through one-to-one art psychotherapy and condition-specific art therapy small groups, focus on enabling participants to: articulate feelings they might previously have struggled to understand and express come to accept a diagnosis successfully adhere to medicines that have unpleasant side effects through exploring coping methods learn how to deal with the wider impact of their condition on daily life and relationships overcome fear and anxiety and build resilience not to feel defined by their condition take back some control of their lives at a time when they feel they have very little reduces anxiety and prevents self-harm and suicide ideation.
Edinburgh Marathon Festival Edinburgh marathon, half, 10k, 5k and junior distances over the weekend of 25th and 26th May. Expand The ever-popular Edinburgh Marathon Festival is returning on the 24/25th May 2024: Marathon - 26th May - 10:00 am Half marathon - 26th May - 08:00 am SOLD OUT 10k - 25th May - 09:00 am 5k - 25th May - 10:00 am Saturday routes take place on the scenic and hilly Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh and the Sunday marathon and half-marathon take place in neighbouring East Lothian and offer a flatter terrain. Participants will receive the warmest cheering squad to encourage them to the finishing line in Musselburgh (also home to Teapot HQ) and you'll go home with: Wicking finisher's t-shirt Finisher's medal & distance keyring Finisher's pack Personalised event number with accurate timing chip Event baggage facilities Hydration & energy gel on route Hydration & nutrition at the finish Results posted in your account within 48 hours Fantastic running experience Sign up here Teapot Trust - Edinburgh Marathon Festival All Teapot Trust fundraisers will receive: a branded t-shirt or running shirt pin badge tote bag We will also be here to support your fundraising goals and help you achieve them by championing you across social media. Contact Charlene if you have questions or would like assistance with signing up.
Ruth Girvan Chair of Trustees Expand Ruth was unanimously voted Chair of Trustees at the May 2022 trustees meeting. Ruth has lived experience of the challenges of having a child with a long term health condition, JIA, and has experienced first-hand the life-changing impact Teapot Trust can have on children who go through multiple hospital visits, procedures and tests, and their ability to face into their (often invisible) condition. Adding an element of control, in a life where for them, so much is out of their control. Ruth has a passion for Teapot Trust, its ethos, ambition and impact, and is proud to be taking over from the charity founder as Chair, to lead Teapot Trust through the next stage of development and the opportunities ahead as the charity grows from strength to strength. Ruth has spent most of her career in the financial services sector leading people through strategic change with a passion for keeping people at the heart of any new strategic move. Never happier than when outdoors and indulging in her many passions such as open water swimming, cycling, canoeing camping and running and adding more miles to her Mileage Challenge for Teapot Trust to achieve 4k miles in 2022.
John Kennedy Finance Convenor Expand John is a Chartered Accountant with considerable experience working in public practice. He is a partner in Cowan & Partners CA practice in Leith, where he has provided advice and support to a broad range of clients for over 30 years. John is a highly respected general practitioner, and has a particular interest in charity accounts. As an auditor, he took responsibility for a broad range of audits including a number of local and high profile charities. John also has considerable experience as a charity Independent Examiner. John has served as Treasurer and Trustee of a major UK charity and a large Scottish charity as well as a number of local charities. John retired from business in April 2022. In joining Teapot Trust, he is keen to bring his professional knowledge and experience to the Trustee role, where he will have a particular focus on finance.
Jennifer Martin Board Member Expand Jen is a highly experienced communications lead for change programmes at NatWest Group. Often specialising in strategic, regulatory and legal change programmes, Jen is passionate about quality, consistency and using data and insight to guide to the right solutions. Out with the day job, Jen has worked with The Prince’s Trust as a mentor to young people. This is Jen’s first trustee position having decided that now her youngest child has started school, it was time to devote more of herself to charities that will make a difference to people’s lives. Her enthusiasm for Teapot Trust is born from the recognition of how creative therapies can positively affect children and their families through the most trying of times.
Kirsty Livingstone Board Member Expand Kirsty has been with Hampden & Co plc since August 2021 where she is responsible for ensuring the front line banking team are compliant with regulatory requirements through effective leadership of the Bank’s client journey, regulated products and procedures, and client enhancing projects. Prior to joining Hampden & Co, Kirsty was the Head of Membership Services and Strategic Partnerships for 4 years with the Institute of Directors Scotland and enjoyed multiple roles over 16 years, including the Regional Business Development Director for Commercial Banking, with Lloyds Banking Group. She is a highly motivated and effective leader, bringing 21 years’ experience of driving improvement within dynamic and competitive environments of the financial services and not for profit sectors. She combines her strategic thinking, solution focused approach and sound interpersonal skills to lead, manage and drive business initiatives for growth. Thriving on creating and developing mutually beneficial collaborations, she understands the need to nurture such relationships to the benefit of all stakeholders. On a personal note, she enjoys running and online HIT classes as well as spending time with her family & friends.
Rumaisa Zubairi Board Member Expand Rumaisa is an MB-PhD student at the University of Glasgow, researching the relationship between immune cells and gut microbiota in arthritis. Rumaisa has volunteered with a number of organisations including Amina MWRC and The Prince's Trust and was an intern on the John Smith Centre's Emerging Leaders programme. As a medical student and poet, she is inspired by the Teapot Trust's work to bring the healing power of art to young people. She's looking forward to working with the dedicated, experienced, and ambitious team of Board and staff members at the Teapot Trust.
Cat Thomson Art Therapy Projects Manager Expand Cat joined the Teapot Trust team in December 2022 as Art Therapy Projects Manager. Cat was drawn to the role having seen friends and family benefit from art therapy. Cat has 18 years’ experience working in the voluntary sector to support the wellbeing and education of children with additional support needs. Cat previously worked in Children in Scotland where she held a variety of roles, including Communications and Engagement Manager of Enquire (the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning). Cat brings with her a wealth of people and project management experience. One of Cat’s strengths is her ability to nurture relationships with key partners, having led a national stakeholder engagement programme with education staff and family support services. Cat previously worked as a Performance Review Manager at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and as an Information Analyst with the NHS information service ISD Scotland. Outside of work, Cat is a keen cyclist and swimmer and, following a 20-year hiatus, started life drawing again. You'll find her at her happiest on a blustery beach with her family, friends and borrowed dog Lily. [email protected] Office: 0131 273 4340 Mobile: 07519 295503
Andy Comley Art Therapist Expand Andy is a state registered Art Therapist (HCPC, BAAT) with over 20 years of experience facilitating therapy in schools and other child support services in Manchester and the surrounding region. He offers support and care for individuals, groups and families that have suffered challenging health care concerns, including the lasting effects of trauma and those newly arrived in the UK. Andy has a broad range of health care qualifications (BA, BSc, PGDipAT) and a Master’s in Education (FHEA) and experience as a university lecturer and staff trainer, developing management skills and lasting professional relationships.
Patricia Watts Art Therapist Expand I started with the Teapot Trust in April 2015 and work alongside the Paediatric Rheumatology Team at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow. Prior to Covid-19, I facilitated an open art therapy group for children and young people attending their rheumatology appointments which was energetic and fun! I now offer online 1-1 art therapy sessions with children and young people and enjoy that sessions can still be very creative. I am also working on an art therapy group manual with a team of researchers in partnership with the Teapot Trust and Newcastle University which I am very excited about. Prior to my role at the Teapot Trust, I worked for several other charities offering emotional support to children, young people and their families. When I am not working I am usually at the park with my husband, son and daughter, and I enjoy art, cooking, charity shops and gardening.
Charlene Madigan Donor Relationship Lead Expand Charlene has been working with Teapot Trust since September 2023 in the new role of Donor Relationship Lead. She is excited to introduce some fresh and exciting fundraising challenges for our existing fundraisers as well as attract new supporters to the charity. Charlene’s diverse background in the health sector has allowed a broad overview of physical and mental health conditions and the often negative impact they can have on their lives, as well as the lives of their families. Her experience covers fitness, elderly care, private healthcare, and most recently wish granting with When You Wish Upon a Star where she found her passion for the charity sector. Wellbeing and health are very important to Charlene as she lives with a well-managed chronic illness herself and has first hand experience of the benefits of implementing ways to improve and manage her wellbeing. In her spare time, Charlene was once massively in love with weightlifting and exercise. However, in recent years after the arrival of her daughter Olivia, she has swapped dumbbells for Yoga and Clubbercise for meditation! Charlene also enjoys catching up with friends and taking on challenges such as Tough Mudder and Go Ape. Email: [email protected] Office: 0131 273 4340 Mobile: 07394558660
Ally Lloyd Young Voices Participation Officer Expand Ally joined the Teapot Trust team in August 2023 as our Young Voices Participation Officer. In this role, Ally runs Young Voices engaging with young people who have previously gone through art therapy with the Teapot Trust in the running of the charity. The Young Voices groups are also spaces for peer support and support for areas of shared unmet needs, as well as opportunities for creativity and fun! Before joining Teapot Trust, Ally was at the University of Glasgow studying Psychology (MA). Ally is also one of the co-founders and trustees at The LUNA Project, a charity which also works creatively to support children and young people with chronic health conditions. This shared goal has led to a brilliant and ongoing working relationship between LUNA and the Teapot Trust. Outside of work, Ally enjoys being outside (ideally on a beach!) and doing messy creative things. [email protected] Office: 0131 273 4340
Caitlin Meagher Supporter Engagement Manager (Maternity Leave) Expand Caitlin joined Team Teapot in March 2018 to increase the charity’s community engagement. Now, she manages supporter relationships while juggling a busy schedule of fundraising campaigns and challenges – encouraging individuals, friendship groups and corporate colleagues to participate. Caitlin is a people person. Her warm and assured style has been praised frequently by supporters and colleagues alike. She enjoys the fast-paced nature of her role, especially interacting with stakeholders and seeing the impact of the charity's work. Her flexible approach and broad skill-set make Caitlin a real asset to the team. She's our tech/digital guru, who took a lead in producing Teapot Trust's Art Therapy At Home resource materials at the start of lockdown, which have been used over 30,000 times by children and families. Before joining Team Teapot, Caitlin worked for the State of New York and helped manage public outreach and engagement for historic sites. Having a BA and MSc in Archaeology, Caitlin enjoys spending her free time travelling and exploring historic places, almost as much as she likes being outdoors hiking, gardening, or trying to keep up with her energetic Sprocker, Willow. [email protected] Office: 0131 273 4340 Mobile: 07394558660
Erin Young Art Therapist Expand I started working for the Teapot Trust in Feb 2020, to provide Art Therapy at the Great North Children's Hospital. The post was to work within the Rheumatology department and with Bridges School which is in the hospital. When the lockdown started about a month later, we moved to working online. Since then, I have provided 1-1 and Dyadic Art Therapy to young people and their parents over an online video platform. It's been a privilege to work with the young people and see their confidence grow in each session. I qualified and registered as an Art Therapist in June 2019 with an MSc with distinction in Art Psychotherapy from Queen Margaret University. Since then, I have worked as a Resilience Coach with adults and in an NHS Trust in a CAMHS team. Currently I work as an Art Therapist for various therapeutic charities including the Teapot Trust. Outside of work I like to do different types of folk dancing and Scottish dancing. I love going on walks and seeing how each season changes the environment.
Harriet Smythe Art Therapist Expand Harriet started working with the Teapot Trust in June 2023, providing group art therapy for young people in Dundee, working in partnership with Feeling Strong. Since graduating from the University of Chester, Harriet has facilitated 1:1 and group art therapy both in person and online within schools, community, and healthcare settings. Harriet says, "For me, it is a privilege to offer a space for children, young people, and adults to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences creatively." Outside of work, Harriet enjoys wandering around charity shops, baking, painting, and going for walks.