Meet THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mike Hotson BA Hons PGCE With a background of drama, teaching, theatre in education and performance art Mike co-devised a brand-new theatrical genre – Cynefin Sensory Labyrinth Theatre with Iwan Brioc and spent 10 years developing and training other artists, community practioners and educationalists in the art of sensory labyrinth theatre across Europe.

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Alongside strategic development work with VAW, Mike was a theatre facilitator for the charity Drums for Peace, working with groups of vulnerable young people from disadvantaged areas in different European countries, devising, rehearsing and performing large scale public performances in the host nations.

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Mike returned to Wales to co-found Arts4wellbeing, sharing a passion for growth and change he collaborated with Sara to combine skills, experience and new research to devise a series of training programmes that allow participants to re-write their negative scripts, change negative habitual patterns and transform their skills, understanding and ways of being in the world.

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Our training programmes are powerful, lasting and very effective. Through the process, lives and communities are changed. 

Sara Wentworth BA Hons, PGCE
I have lived in rural Ceredigion for most of my life, initially working as a freelance artist, making and exhibiting work whilst bringing up my children. I began teaching, working as artist in residence at a number of schools across Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire working with sense of place, culture and heritage when my children were still in primary school.

This sowed the seeds to develop a richly diverse career working collaboratively with many organisations in the voluntary and statutory sectors, I was commissioned to devise creativity and nurture based courses supporting children and families via Social Services, LAC team, young people with additional needs, developing courses for the LEA alternative curriculum for excluded young people, creative learning through adventure.
I also worked for Arts Care Gofal Celf as a freelance arts facilitator for many years in addition to my other freelance work, where I was commissioned to support many groups of people in different settings with a wide range of creative interventions across four counties 

In 2011 Mike and I co founded Arts4wellbeing, we found that the combination of our diverse life experiences and skills, combined with the passion for community arts for social change seemed to create something much greater than the sum of its parts.
Bringing our creative energies together was like lighting the blue touch paper, birthing an exciting vibrant creative partnership which has gone from strength to strength over the last 12 years
Our unique fusion of co production, personal development and creativity training promotes growth mindset and positive change.
A holistic approach evolving all the time as research and newly piloted work informs our practice.
I believe wholly in the transformative benefits of creativity, combining this with a deep connection to nature and practice of mindfulness to support wellbeing, hope and happiness. 
Arts4wellbeing to me, is like one big ever growing family. 

I became Chair of A4W Innovations in 2015.  I believe that using art as a vehicle to bring together communities, to learn new skills and promote overall well-being is so positive in today’s society. 

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My background has naturally aligned me to the work of A4W Innovations. I have a BA (Hons) in Art and Design and I qualified as a Primary Teacher.  My current role is Children and Communities Grant Manager for Carmarthenshire County Council. I have commissioning responsibility for early prevention family support services as well as statutory services and complex needs.  

I have a passion for working co-productively with citizens to plan and develop services, ensuring the voice of children, young people and families are heard.

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It was important for me to volunteer my time (give back) to something I deeply believe in.  I am proud to be part of such a caring team who practices well-being in all that they do.  

I have spent over 25 years working in the Financial Services industry. As a Financial Adviser I have worked both independently and also for a High Street bank specialising in a wide range of areas including mortgages, protection, investment and pension planning. I pride myself on giving pragmatic and practical financial advice, ensuring clients understand every aspect of the advice given whilst providing a bespoke service to suit client needs both now and in the future.

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I live in Carmarthen and spend my free time with my family enjoying the great outdoors. I also run the local tenpin bowling league and enjoy cycling.

I met Mike & Sara around 8 years ago when my children attended some of their Arts workshops, and have been good friends ever since.

I currently work supporting families with young children in Ceredigion. I am the Co Ordinator for Llandysul family centre, managing the centre and developing the programme of support for families in the area and I also work as a family support worker for the pathfinder programme in Aberaeron and New Quay with Ceredigion County Council.

I moved to Ceredigion in early 2020. Before this I lived in Somerset and worked as a family support worker in a Local authority run children’s centre in Bath and North East Somerset. I have worked with children and families in various roles for over 20 years. I completed an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Studies from at the University of Plymouth in 2003. Following this I moved to Bristol where I worked in nursery settings until 2010. In 2010 I completed an Early Years PGCE at the university of the West of England and spent 2 years working in primary and nursery school settings in and around Bristol. 1 year of this was spent in a deprived inner city nursery school, my time here ignited my passion and interest in family support and highlighted the importance for me of social and emotional health and wellbeing.

In 2012 I moved out of Bristol and began working in Children’s centres, away from education and into family and parenting support. In 2014 I went through the adoption process and adopted my son. This experience further developed my knowledge and passion for health and wellbeing and how it is the foundation of everything we do. Through my professional and personal experiences, I have been fortunate to develop my knowledge and skills in the area through training and delivering parenting support programmes such as family links, grobrain, infant massage and theraplay. 

I am currently living in Ceredigion with my partner, my son, 4 cats and my partners 2 children part time. We enjoy cooking, walking and travelling together.

My name is Carol Ashling and I am employed by St Davids DCSR-Plant Dewi as the Ceredigion Family Centre Network Project Worker. I have been in this role for three years, coordinating the work of the Family Centres to support vulnerable families and children throughout the County. Previously, I worked for 12 years as a Youth Support Worker at Area 43, a local charity for 16-25 yr old young people.

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I was born and raised in Cardigan, completed a Foundation year at art college in Carmarthen, married young and went on to have 10 children, most of whom I home educated to college level, seven have completed university degrees, one has a PhD from Cambridge. I returned to education myself and graduated from the Open University with a First-Class Honours degree in Childhood and Youth Studies at the age of 50.

Always up for a new challenge, I then learned to drive when I was 52 which shows you are never too old to learn new skills!

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I became involved with Arts for Wellbeing after attending one of the Compassionate Communities groups with my mother. I was so impressed with the whole approach to working with people, the dedication and commitment to helping each and every participant feel cared for and valued and how the creative process brings out the best in everyone.

I absolutely love the work that they do and decided to join the Board of Directors to offer my support in whatever way I can.

I am currently a Community Research Engagement Officer for Nacro Connecting Carmarthenshire.  This involves trying to increase citizens sense of wellbeing and hopefully decreasing, delaying or eliminating their need to access statutory services.  It is an amazingly rewarding role and one that I am quite passionate about.

I was born and raised in Penderyn and after a stint in hospitality and spend about 20 years in Domiciliary Care, it was during a  period in London that I met my soon to be husband and after 2 years we married and moved back to the Valleys where we adopted two boys.

In 2017 we bought a house in Llandysul and after spending every weekend and holiday in the village we moved here permanently in 2019.  I have become more and more involved in the community activities and that is where I came across Mike and Sara through a number of community events.

I love the diverse range of activities that Arts4Wellbeing do and how their work positively impacts on the citizens that engage with the groups and events. So after a while I decided to accept the invitation from Mike and Sara to join the Board of Directors.


Photo Below!  Hope this is ok

Robert Ramsaha-Southall
Community Research Engagement Officer
Nacro Cymru