Manx Children’s Art Therapy (formerly known as the Teapot Trust Isle of Man) has been awarded a grant of £48,300 by the Manx Lottery Trust.

The funding will be used over three years to part-finance the provision of art therapy services at The Children’s Centre for children and teenagers with health conditions and mental health challenges.

The Manx Children’s Art Therapy service has already been working with children at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Unit at Noble’s Hospital helping them with their wellbeing.

The charity is now working with The Children’s Centre to provide a four-days-a-week service.

Joff Whitten, head of the Children’s Centre, said: ‘Our partnership with Manx Children’s Art Therapy is a wonderful development and opportunity for us as a charity.

‘Sometimes the children we work with need specific therapies.

‘This new service means we can provide the right support at the right time.’

Manx Children’s Art Therapy was set up in March 2019. The charity has also appointed a new director and trustee, Lynsey Smith of Atla Group, and as part of the rebrand (from Teapot Trust), the organisation is now searching for additional directors and trustees to join the board to help it develop and grow further.

Fern Callister, art therapist for the charity, said: ‘Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses creativity to help improve an individual’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

‘As children so easily use creativity and play to understand their world around them, art therapy offers a more acceptable form of communication over the spoken word.

‘It seeks to reduce anxiety and stress, build resilience and confidence, foster relationships, develop trust and explore coping strategies within the creative process.’

Jeremy Theobald, director at Manx Children’s Art Therapy, said: ‘We receive no NHS or government funding so are reliant on the generosity of others, be they trusts, corporate partners, philanthropists or supporting fundraisers.

‘We have been kindly supported by the Manx Lottery Trust, but as a relatively new charity in the island, we need to do more to raise funds, awareness and build a volunteer network.’

Sarah Kelly, chairman of the Manx Lottery Trust, added: ‘It is clear that art therapy can have a truly positive effect on wellbeing. We hope that this programme is going to be highly successful.’