More Books on Mental Health Available in Welsh

May 19, 2020

Award-winning author Matt Haig’s memoir of living with depression has been translated into Welsh as part of the groundbreaking Reading Well Books on Prescription for mental health scheme.

Award-winning author Matt Haig’s memoir of living with depression has been translated into Welsh as part of the groundbreaking Reading Well Books on Prescription for mental health scheme.

Regularly featured on best-seller lists, Matt Haig’s Reasons to Stay Alive is among the latest collection of self-help books to be published in Welsh to help people manage common mental health conditions or deal with difficult feelings and experiences.

To mark Mental Health Awareness Week 2020, other new titles in the Reading Well Books on Prescription for mental health scheme include A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled by Ruby Wax, A Manual for Heartache by Cathy Rentzenbrink and Stress Control by Jim White.

There are now a total of 20 Welsh-language titles in the Reading Well Books on Prescription for mental health scheme and, for the first time, many are also available as e-books.

The Reading Well Books on Prescription scheme has been developed by The Reading Agency in partnership with public libraries across England and Wales, with the Books Council of Wales making a selection of books available in Welsh thanks to funding from the Welsh Government.

Chief Executive of the Books Council of Wales, Helgard Krause, said: “Looking after our mental health is vital and it’s more relevant now than ever before, with more and more people turning to books during these challenging times. What’s unique about the Reading Well Books on Prescription for mental health scheme is that all the books have been selected and recommended by experts, and it’s essential that we ensure these valuable resources are also available in Welsh.”

Debbie Hicks MBE, Creative Director at The Reading Agency, said, “One in four of us will face a mental health issue at some point in our lives. With the timely publication of these new titles, we are delighted that more Welsh-speakers will be able to access the proven power of reading to understand and manage their mental health and wellbeing. We are proud to work with the Books Council of Wales and public libraries to deliver Reading Well Books on Prescription in Wales, enabling the scheme to reach even more people in Welsh and English.”

Among those who have benefited from the Reading Well Books on Prescription for mental health scheme is children’s author Sharon Marie Jones who has lived with depression since 2014, with the illness intensifying following the death of her son Ned in a car accident in 2016.

“You have to remember that there isn’t one quick fix for any mental illness but reading is definitely part of my own therapy,” said Sharon. “You don’t need to be sitting down for hours reading a thick novel and there are books that you can just turn to every now and again. It’s just making that connection and feeling less alone by having that book in your hand.”

Titles in the Reading Well Books on Prescription for mental health scheme are available to borrow from public libraries when they re-open or by following the guidelines for downloading e-books on public library websites.

Nia Gruffydd, Libraries Manager at Gwynedd County Council, said: “We have seen a big demand in libraries across Wales for the Reading Well Books on Prescription for mental health titles and that’s reflected in the number of books which have been borrowed so far. What’s great about this scheme is that people can borrow these books free of charge and they are easily accessible through their library. It’s essential that these books are available in Welsh, enabling our users to read about issues which are so important and personal to them in their first language.”

Health or social care professionals can also recommend the books on prescription as part of an individual’s treatment, or they can be purchased through bookshops, gwales.com and other websites.

The Reading Well Books on Prescription scheme also includes a wide selection of self-help books for people with dementia and their carers, with a full list of titles on the Reading Well website.

Online Welsh Art Lessons for Children Attract Thousands of Views

May 7, 2020

A series of online art sessions for children by one of Wales’ leading cartoonists has been viewed more than 30,000 times since it was launched at the start of the school closures due to Coronavirus.

A series of online art sessions for children by one of Wales’ leading cartoonists has been viewed more than 30,000 times since it was launched at the start of the school closures due to Coronavirus.

Criw Celf is a partnership between Welsh children’s magazines Cip and Mellten, illustrator Huw Aaron, Urdd Gobaith Cymru and the Books Council of Wales.

Every weekday afternoon at 3 o’clock, Huw Aaron hosts a live session or uploads a video to YouTube showing how to draw comic pictures or cartoons, and how to tell a story through pictures.

Now all of his videos are available to watch in one place on the Urdd’s website, which also offers a range of activities on its urdd.cymru/criw pages.

Huw sets a daily challenge for children and creates activity sheets linked to the videos so that viewers can continue to develop their skills offline.

The Welsh-medium service was launched on Monday 23 March 2020 following the Welsh Government’s decision to close school temporarily due to the pandemic.

More than 30 free videos have now been shared online and viewed more than 30,000 so far.

Commenting on his Criw Celf channel, Huw Aaron said: “As a cartoonist and children’s book illustrator, I’ve learned a few things about how to draw, and I thought it would be fun to share some of this with a wider audience. These short daily videos are an opportunity for children (and their parents!) to enjoy a fun activity through the medium of Welsh, and hopefully learn some new skills along the way.

“The response has been really lovely and encouraging – with many joining to draw together and to proudly sharing their work on social media. So pick up a pencil and a piece of paper, and join the #criwcelf – whatever your age!”

The daily sessions (Monday-Friday) are supported by Urdd Gobaith Cymru and the Books Council of Wales.

The Head of Grants at the Books Council, Arwel Jones, said: “In these troubled times, we need to think imaginatively about how to entertain – and educate – children at home. Huw’s talent for drawing and exuberance attracts a daily audience and we are very grateful to him for creating high quality content that is valued by children, parents and carers alike. Digital content of this kind is particularly important at a time when it isn’t possible to print hard copies of traditional magazines like Mellten and Cip.”

The Criw Celf series forms part of the Urdd’s online resources for children and is widely shared on their social media as well as on the Books Council’s channels.

Mari Williams, the Urdd’s Communications Manager, said: “Huw Aaron is already a lively contributor to the Urdd’s magazines and we are delighted to be able to support these digital workshops which are freely available to anyone. They are a great resource, and clearly attract and entertain children young and old over this period.”

Huw Aaron will continue to host Criw Celf live sessions on YouTube in the coming weeks and all of his videos are now available to watch on the Urdd website urdd.cymru/criw.