Orb Community Arts
‘A big, big thank you... I never thought this day would come and you’ve helped me enormously. There is no way I’d have a job now if it weren’t for Orb.’ -- Service user of Orb
Orb is a registered charity that is committed to supporting vulnerable individuals through creative and therapeutic learning activities.
Orb facilities allow participants the opportunity to nurture a talent, get out of the house and meet people, develop new skills and increase in confidence through something they love doing.
Projects include OrbGreen for gardening, and Art Space that provides art materials and holds exhibitions of work in order to promote individual self-worth. The building has its own IT suite for instructional technology courses. It provides internet access for members to use at their leisure and research anything from new cars to two men who get together to research military campaigns.
The charity was created in 2005 by Mark Flood. While working in social services, Mark recognised a need to create a space for young people with severe and enduring mental illness. As a result, Mark decided to create a space where young people could express themselves through music.
Orb aims to challenge the stigmas associated with mental health, to combat the isolation felt by many and to provide them with an integrated and meaningful role within the community.
Orb’s support has made a big difference in the life of one man, known as MR, who had a long and on-going history of mental and physical ill health. MR had problems being able to stay in employment and used Orb’s facilities to varying degrees for a number of years as part of his support network. Art classes provided him with a positive focus, and Orb was also able to provide MR with training as an Electrical PAT Tester at a local college.
A keen gardener, MR also played a key role in developing the new garden project culminating in Orb being able to employ him as their part time gardener. He commented, ‘I find work in the garden at Orb very therapeutic. It gets me out of the house, it’s good to have people to talk to and it helps my physical fitness and mental health.’
Orb is proud to provide high quality equipment that would otherwise be inaccessible to these users. The facilities include a purpose-built recording studio, industry standard music recording and production software, a variety of instruments from guitars, bass and drums to and vintage keyboards, as well as full DJ mixing facilities.
Orb Community Arts was a member of Attend since 2005. ‘Attend has been vital in the development of the organisation at a time when we otherwise would have struggled,’ says Mark Flood. He also appreciates Attend’s networking assistance saying, ‘we were invited to represent the Yorkshire and Humber region at Buckingham Palace where we met the Duke of York. It was a unique experience and amazing to be there.’
Created 19th March 2012. Updated 2021
Orb Community Arts a former member of Attend. For more information, or to join, please click here.
