Leamington business joins forces with Kenilworth group to help bang the drum for mental health

Both organisations are looking to raise awareness about mental health
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A Leamington business recently joined forces with a Kenilworth organisation to help people's mental health.

Archways Drum School has been able to open its doors to students once again.

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To celebrate their re-opening, and to coincide with mental health awareness week earlier this month, Archways partnered up with organisation TakeHeart, which sends out crochet hearts with the message reminding people ‘you are not alone.’

(L to R) Louise Scrivener - TakeHeart founder, Ryan Field - drum teacher, Alfie Sully - Archways student, Sharon Sully – Alfie’s Mum and TakeHeart member and Nick Jones – drum teacher. Photo supplied(L to R) Louise Scrivener - TakeHeart founder, Ryan Field - drum teacher, Alfie Sully - Archways student, Sharon Sully – Alfie’s Mum and TakeHeart member and Nick Jones – drum teacher. Photo supplied
(L to R) Louise Scrivener - TakeHeart founder, Ryan Field - drum teacher, Alfie Sully - Archways student, Sharon Sully – Alfie’s Mum and TakeHeart member and Nick Jones – drum teacher. Photo supplied

During the pandemic Archways Drum School embraced online video technology to enable lessons to keep going, whilst TakeHeart ran online tutorials on how to crochet hearts via social media live events.

Nick Jones, from Archways, has been teaching Alfie Sully, age 14 , for over four years.

Alfie’s Mum, Sharon, is part of a small, Kenilworth-based group of ladies that run TakeHeart, who crochet hearts and spread them far and wide by posting them out to people who need a little reminder that ‘You are not alone’.

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To date more than 37,000 hearts have been sent out across the UK and worldwide.

Archways Drum School partnered up with organisation TakeHeart. Photo suppliedArchways Drum School partnered up with organisation TakeHeart. Photo supplied
Archways Drum School partnered up with organisation TakeHeart. Photo supplied

As Archways welcomes its students back, Nick along with other teachers at the drum school, Ryan, Charlie and Danny, wanted to be able to share this initiative with their students by giving them each a heart as well as some for them to share with their loved ones and friends.

Nick said: “It’s amazing how just one small gesture of kindness in receiving a heart from someone can really lift your spirits - I still carry the heart with me that Louise, TakeHeart’s founder, gave me after she’d come for a drumming lesson.

"What we’re trying to do with students at Archways is give them a chance to switch off and let their creativity flow. With Mental Health Awareness Week recently, we know how important it is to have a release outside of school or work for people to keep a positive mental outlook on life.”

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To mark the initiative, Debbie Locke from TakeHeart designed a new bass drum graphic for Archways reception area which now stands with crochet hearts to give to their students.

To speak to Archways Drum School for a trial lesson call 07896884267 or email: [email protected]

More information is also available on the website: archwaysdrumschool.comTo find out more about the work that TakeHeart does follow them @takeheartxo on Facebook or Instagram.