A Toxteth woman is improving wellbeing and mental health through creative arts classes including music and Dj-ing.
Sharon Walker, or Lady Spice as she is known, formed the Social enterprise, CreativeSpice in 2017 to tackle issues around mental wellness. The 52-year-old aims to make a positive impact within Liverpool 8 and the wider community on individuals whose quality of life is compromised by mental health.
CreativeSpice uses holistic activities such as social events and arts to alleviate lower level mental health issues. The artist, poet, DJ, facilitator, crafter and wine brewer caters for people from aged five upwards including holding SheeJay workshops aimed at young girls and women teaching aspects of being a DJ.
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Sharon told the ECHO: "Our activities range from providing DJs, events, expressive arts workshops to DJ teambuilding and governance training for people setting up social enterprises, along with selling artisanal products (such as jewellery and wine making). CreativeSpice originated from my DJ name LadySpice, as I'm a creative it made sense to use that title.
"We also run Come Write Away prosetry (a mixture of poetry and prose) sessions for those interested in writing. They're totally informal and are specifically for the inexperienced and those wanting to have a vehicle to get out their innermost angst” (various anxieties)
Workshops consist of Jewel in the Crown, jewellery making classes which take place in Granby Children's centre, but also can be at community centres and other venues too. CreativeSpice also does expressive arts around African Caribbean cultural identity.
Mum-of-four Jennifer said: "Taking time to do something for myself outside of the home and my family has been really beneficial to me. I feel attending these sessions has made a big difference to my personal life as I feel happier and more positive.”
Sharon continued: “I also run my own online digital radio station, CreativeSpice which promotes reggae music, up and coming artists, community news, events and announcements. I set this up in 2017 and I also play as a remote DJ for the online digital station London World Radio".
Since 2018 she has been experimenting with wine brewing making CreativeSpice Shine. Sharon said: "I began making wine (moonshine or hooch if you prefer) in the kitchen using basic ingredients following basic recipes and processes resulting in amusingly imaginative wines. The name is an abbreviation of moonshine…hence Shine.
"My process is simple and done in my kitchen. I use all types of fruit, veg and more unusual items, denoting it as a country wine (any wine made from products other than grapes) I've made a tomato and basil, semolina, beetroot, dandelion, cerasee and even experimented with a cola wine".
After testing them on family and friends Sharon took them wider and regularly has a stall at Granby Market and various pop up markets. She said: "So far the results have been great. Ginger and Cherry are our top and maybe Sorrel and Ginger. One of the unique things about the wine is we have over 20 flavours, it's vegan and all natural".
For more information on workshops and products visit CreatriveSpice HERE.
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