Therapists working hard at Chalkhill Hospital in Haywards Heath amid coronavirus

Steph Hutton, CAMHS Occupational Therapy Lead said they had developed the Recovery Through Activity programme on the ward.

“This is a programme that encourages and enables young people in our services to explore a range of activities, such as self-care, where they have looked at the relationship between food and mood, as well as enjoying some pamper kits,” she said.

Fun activities include yoga, gardening and sports, reading, writing poetry, art, making bird feeders and dog treat bags for homeless people who have dogs.

Steph said: “During group sessions, young people at Chalkhill have made bird feeders to put in the outside spaces. They can then enjoy seeing the birds come to feed, which can be really relaxing and rewarding.

“They have also contributed to the community by making dog treat bags containing homemade dog friendly biscuits and snacks for homeless people who have dogs.

“During art sessions they have made mandalas out of clay and painted them and printed t-shirts. This has enabled young people to explore what they value and be able to implement this into their recovery and routine despite restrictions in place due to COVID-19 and associated isolation.

“Part of exploring a wide range of activities is to help young people identify the things they value as part of their unique identity to support good mental wellbeing. These are things we can all be doing at home and in our own lives as well. Finding meaningful occupations can be a game changer in challenging times.

“All of the staff have been working really hard under difficult circumstances to continue to provide an excellent service to our young people.”

The Occupational Therapy (OT) Team at Chalkhill is run by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust as part of its Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).

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