The Hartlepool woman who is making a huge difference in a care home - with her fantastic artwork

Charmaine Twidale, 26, has worked at Hope House as a support worker in the town for five years. She supports adults who have a range of learning disabilities, as well as supporting people with autism.

She said: “Everyone you come across is different.”

But now she has a new role. She is a talented artist who has made all the murals which adorn the walls in the home.

And as well as making a difference at Hope House, it is also helping Charmaine as a therapy for her anxiety.

"I love it,” said Charmaine, who won the Community Champion category in the Best of Hartlepool Awards for her pride and passion in her voluntary work back in 2014.

Charmaine turned to her love of art to help with her anxiety during the pandemic and said it helped to express herself as an artist and as a person.

Her artwork reflects Hartlepool and its countryside and Charmaine said she had tried to make the building look ‘homely’.

"It has been brilliant for my mental health,” said Charmaine, who added: “Covid was quite tough and my anxiety got quite bad. This has picked my confidence back up. It has really helped.”

Her first mural was put up in the activity room and her art was so good that Hope House – where Charmaine is employed by Cygnet Healthcare – gave her a role of personal artist.

She has painted murals which are around the building and in residents’ flats. Hedgehogs, foxes and other wildlife can be seen in her work.

Her talent means she has now been asked to travel to other units to do her paintings. She has had personal commissions for artwork as well.

Jamie Speight, Cygnet's service manager at Hope House, said: “We are delighted that Charmaine’s artistic talent has brightened up the walls at Hope House and we have now also asked her to create more artwork for other Cygnet services, including at our head office in London.

"Creativity brings benefit to people’s wellbeing and the fantastic murals that Charmaine has painted genuinely lift people’s spirits when they see them. We can’t wait to see what she creates next.”

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